Nijuusei
by Kaen
Summary: Two boys with a dramatic past are drawn together by fate, but will the harsh ties of destiny allow them to ever be together? And is there really such a thing as "happily ever after"? This is not an illusion; CHAPTER 15 (finally) UP!
1. Two Seperate Words

Nijuusei

Chapter 1: Two Separate Worlds

By Kaen 

A chilling wind coursed through the darkened and desolate streets of New York City. The season's proper characteristics were finally catching up. The few trees had already turned golden and crimson and were now starting to lose their leaves. Winter had taken longer than normal to arrive, but few were complaining. Winters on the Northeast coast were always frigid, and undoubtedly the least popular season of the residents. Especially when those residents doubted that they would live through the winter… 

Shivering as the breeze carried away body heat from his exposed chest, the boy sighed. He needed to get to some place warmer… Grimacing, he pushed himself away from the garbage cans he had been leaning back on as he slowly rose to his feet. Pausing a moment to stretch, he noticed how dark it had become. He honestly didn't care. He had no place to be. Dropping his arms from their raised position, he tightened the thin over shirt around him and began to walk with absolutely no destination in mind. He had never belonged anywhere, and never planned to. Well, he had to admit that it sounded nice to have a place to live, a home. He sighed longingly, wishing that the word didn't sound so foreign.

Rubbing his arms violently while trying to spark some warmth into them, the youth spotted a gathering of four or five men under a flickering street lamp. Trying not to be interested but failing miserably, he cautiously approached the sight. Peering around one of the larger men's shoulders, the seventeen-year-old's dark eyes narrowed in anger.

The lowlifes were picking on a petite blonde girl, who couldn't have been more than fifteen or so. She was in obvious distress, attempting to break free of the men who surrounded her, but to no avail.

"Those _bastards_," the boy growled under his breath, his fists clenching in rage. With no second thought, he roughly grabbed the shoulder of the main tormentor and forced him to turn around. The man looked surprised at first, but his facial expression quickly changed to a scowl. After a moment of glaring silently at each other, the sleezeball was the first to speak.

"And what do _you _want, ya lil' brat?" Asked the man irritably. 

"Leave her alone." Stated the boy plainly. As an afterthought, he added, "I don't want to have to kill anyone today." 

Smirking at the taller man, he almost dared him to try something. The other man sneered, and swung his fist at the teen's face. 

And missed miserably. The teen had ducked, but then realized that he most likely didn't have to do that. The guy would of missed anyway…

He's drunk…  At the apprehension of this fact the teen's smirk grew to a wicked grin. It was always so entertaining to fight an idiot. After a minute of fooling around, the teen finally got tired of playing and knocked out the staggering drunkard. Staring idly at his unconscious enemy, the boy let out a short laugh of victory. 

Realizing with a start that the poor girl was probably scared he immediately rushed over to her and kneeled down to the crouching level that she was in. She was looking down so he couldn't see her face, but he could tell that she was crying by the way her body shook. Biting his lip the boy couldn't dismiss the feelings of familiarity lingering at the back of his mind, taunting but not revealing themselves… Shaking his head he blinked to clear his vision and tried to talk to the girl.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly, not wanting to frighten the girl more. After his question, the girl seemed to abruptly stop all movements. Slowly lifting her head from its nestling place in her arms, she stared with wide and shimmering aqua eyes. Biting her lip to keep silent, the girl continued to stare at her rescuer. Tears threatened to spill over the brim again when she asked something softly.

"Su… boshi?"

The teen stared at the girl, not quite understanding what she was asking. Was "Suboshi" the name of a person? She must be mistaking him for someone else. He sighed. That poor girl, all alone and confused…

"I'm sorry. I'm not this 'Suboshi' guy you're looking for…" He couldn't help but feel guilty at his response, even if he was being totally honest. For some reason, it just hurt him to deny this pretty girl…

"Oh… I'm really very sorry..." she said, looking back down again as her golden locks obscured her beautiful face. The lights flickered again as he took a step towards her and stared intently, trying to read the emotions on her face. She sighed heavily and was about to say something, but stopped short and gasped. Not wasting any time the girl quickly reached over to the boy and pushed him out of the way.

Surprise flashed across his face, but he soon realized what she had just done for him. One of the man's gang members whom he had beaten up just a minute ago had finally gathered up the nerve to do something about his boss's defeat. The large man had tried to attack him with a switchblade, but that girl had saved him.

Instant worry registered in his mind as he glanced back to the brave girl. She was crouching down, trying to retain her balance. He noticed the rip in her shirtsleeve, but it didn't appear the bastard had done any other harm. 

But the thought of just the torn clothing of this girl set him off.

In just a few seconds that man was accompanying his boss in La-La Land. The rest of the gang attempted to escape but the fiery-tempered teen didn't allow that. He felt so endeared to this girl, and he couldn't figure out why for the life of him. 

Breathing heavily and observing his "carnage" the teen turned away and went back to the girl. She seemed a little… surprised, but happy enough that he had won. That girl happy made him blush a little, but their eyes soon made contact. He couldn't break it, nor did he want to, but…

Looking away quickly the pretty girl sheepishly said, "Thank you…"

To be honest, it sounded like she didn't know what to say more than anything else. He might have just saved her from being mugged or worse…

Feeling equally as speechless, he mumbled, "You're welcome…"

Out of nervous habit the boy crossed his left arm over his body, his hand resting on his right forearm. 

"Ouch!" He cried, quickly removing the hand. Looking down, he noticed a steady stream of blood flowing down his arm from a wound hidden somewhere underneath the sticky liquid. _Hell, I didn't even notice when that happened…_Making a noise in the back of his throat, he clamped his hand back over the wound with the hopes that the girl (who was about his age, he noticed) didn't see it.

Too late, though. 

She was already at his side, instructing him to remove his hand so she could see the cut better. Once again, he couldn't refuse her and complied. Sitting down, he watched her carefully as she kneeled and took her white sweatshirt jacket off and pressed it down to the wound.

"Just hold it there for a minute or so… " She instructed quietly. He nodded in agreement, feeling once again guilty about dirtying her jacket. Both feeling rather uncomfortable at the silence between them, the girl introduced herself.

"I'm Yui. Hongo Yui. Thank you very much for helping me back there… You remind me of someone I used to know, but he… passed away…" Trailing off, she quickly changed the subject. For how much blood he was losing right now, it was not a good time to talk about death.

"So, what's your name?" She asked him, inquiringly. He froze at that question, and remained silent. "Don't you have a name?" she wondered allowed, wrinkling her brow.

"I… um… I'm… Kokuei." He said, unsurely. To be honest, he didn't have a name, but he liked the sound of that name. "I don't really have a name, you see…" he said, trying to explain. She didn't press him to explain, even though she was rather curious. Yui instead brought a finger up to his lips, silencing his stutters. 

"Don't worry, Kokuei. You don't have to tell me." An obvious expression of relief fell across his face and he smiled at her. She found herself smiling back, but soon looked down. Removing the sweatshirt from the wound, she gasped as her eyes widened. It appeared as thought the blood was being washed away by imperceptible water. 

"Um…." Yui pointed down to Kokuei wounds, where he observed it as well. 

"I dunno." He shrugged and tried to brush it off. Weird stuff like that actually happened a lot to him, but she didn't need to know that. It seemed as though every time he got hurt there was always someone there to tend to him. Soon he'd be all healed and he couldn't help but be a little creeped out…

Yui stopped gawking at the blood being washed away and immediately took the opportunity to reach into her backpack and pull out the bacteria disinfectant and some long white bandages. He stared at her choice of traveling "companions" and she giggled at his look.

"I'm in a pre-med class. That's where I was going before I got… distracted." He grinned with understanding, and was relieved to find that the current situation was a rare occurrence.

While reflecting on this girl, Kokuei barely noticed when she closed up her box and stated that she was done. Blinking to regain his concentration, he stood up and lent his hand to help her up. She took it without hesitation, but he didn't let go when she stood. She looked at their still connected hands, blushing. Gradually, she raised her head to look up into his warm blue eyes. 

"Thank you," he stated simply, still not sure about what to do. She blushed deeply at his apparent lack of words and looked away as she nodded.

"I… uh… need to get to my class. You see, I'm probably already late, so I really need to go." She looked up again and pulled her hand from Kokuei. Seeing the disappointed look on his face she giggled again. 

"I promise I'll check on you tomorrow, okay? That wound was pretty nasty, and I don't want it to get infected." Just like that, she had gone from a giggling schoolgirl to a professional future doctor. He laughed, and whole-heartedly agreed. 

"Same place, then? No, that won't work… How about by the building where you take your class?" He seemed to be arguing with himself, but soon came to a conclusion.

"It's the Pre-Med building on the college campus. Do you think that you can get there?" She realized that he probably didn't have all that great of means transportation, but he had asked and she answered honestly. He thought for a second or two, and soon responded very enthusiastically.

"Sure! I'm sure I can. I don't exactly have other plans." He laughed softly at this. 

"Tomorrow then, Miss Yui?" he inquired, innocently. She grinned and nodded. Yui then turned her back to her new friend and took off, trying to get to her class before she was too terribly late.

Kokuei watched her retreating back and whispered softly, "Good bye, my Yui-sama."  When he could no longer see the girl, he began walking in opposite direction. The streetlight that they had been conversing under finally died, leaving nothing but a cold and dark night in the ever-noisy city. Kokuei paid no heed to the sudden darkness and kept walking, his form soon lost in the shadows. 

*******************************

"Itai!"  
  


Hiashi flinched and let out a small cry as he felt a deep cut take shape on his forearm. Glancing down at the sharp pain he saw the first trickles of blood beginning to gush. Promptly pulling down his sleeve, he excused himself from the dinner table, ignoring the concerned looks he was receiving from his mother and father. Racing up the steps he couldn't help but reflect on all the strange events that had been happening to him for as long as he could remember, if not longer. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ever since he was little, he had always been getting strange marks and bruises all over his body. Hiashi wasn't a rough child and had never done anything to agitate anyone, but quite often he would awake bleeding or with a bruised limb. He had attempted to hide it from his parents, not wanting to make them worry, but they had found out when he had collapsed in front of them, blood and bruises appearing all over his body. 

_It was probably pretty dramatic_, he thought to himself acrimoniously, _It's surely not everyday that your son passes out and gets the crap beaten out of him by some unseen force_. 

Of course, his parents had taken him to the hospital and attempted to explain what had happened to the skeptical physicians. They obviously hadn't believed his parents, and even went so far as to accuse them of child abuse. He laughed softly at that thought.

Hiashi's parents were probably two of the most loving people Hiashi had ever met. They actually were not his real parents, but they had adopted him at a very young age. About three or four or so, he'd been told. They'd always been there for him and, unlike most adopted children, he referred to them as "Mother" and "Father." They had raised Hiashi, and he saw no reason why he shouldn't regard them as his respected guardians. As his parents were so caring, they had not hesitated a second in finding their son psychological help. He knew he didn't need it, but they had insisted. Not ever wanting to be the type of person to disappoint the people he loved, Hiashi had agreed.

Being submissive and sweet, an eight-year-old Hiashi had suffered through an entire hour of obnoxious questionings and unnerving staring. His mother and father had patiently waited along with him, and were terribly anxious to find out what was happening to their precious child. It never ceased to amaze him how much his parents loved him, but what the shrink told them amazed him even more. The know-it-all man had said that he was depressed, whether Hiashi acted like it or not, and insisted that it was his overpowering subconscious that made him hurt his body without realizing it. A rare case, to say the least, and Hiashi hadn't believed a word of it. 

Unfortunately, his mother and father had. And as another misfortune, the deceitful shrink had confirmed to the authorities that his parents were abusing him. This had all spiraled into a sickening chain of events that included numerous court cases, unbelievably high lawyers' bills, and a nearly broken home. After he himself had testified at the age of eight, his parents were finally released from trial but this was not the end of their troubles. 

Not even close. 

It had taken nearly four years to regain the comfortable home that was there before the incident, and even now Hiashi felt that he had to maintain a careful act as to not to upset the ones he loved…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hiashi cringed again as the water cleaned out the wound. It had stung, and he fought the urge to cry out. Adjusting to the cool water, he finally relaxed. The wound was fairly deep, but it probably wouldn't leave a scar. The last thing he needed was more scars, especially after all his episodes with a phantom attacker. Tearing his eyes way from gushing wound, Hiashi caught a quick glimpse of his own reflection in the ornate mirror. Studying himself as if it were the first time that he'd seen his reflection, his eyes traveled over his own visage slowly.

Hiashi had large midnight blue eyes with thick black lashes surrounding them. He had always liked his eyes, not to sound self-centered or anything, but he had never met anyone else with that same color and he considered them one of his unique aspects. Slightly obscuring his eyes was his light brown hair, which looked almost green in the sunlight, as strange as that may sound. His skin was lightly tanned, something that was not uncommon in the warm California weather, but it was by no means a poor quality. He had never really felt uncomfortable with his appearance, unlike most teens, but sometimes had a problem with his personal identity. Dismissing the thought from his mind, Hiashi focused back on the injury to his right arm. 

Or rather, the area where the injury was…

He gasped, shutting off the crystal water faucet. Holding up his right arm, Hiashi noticed that the cut was not gone, but instead was sealed together tightly as if it had been bound up by an invisible bandage, making it practically unnoticeable. 

Shuddering at the thought of his rapid "healing," Hiashi turned from the bathroom. Before leaving and turning out the light, Hiashi caught one last look at himself in the mirror. For the shortest, shortest moment he could of sworn that he saw not one, but two of him reflecting back… 

What in the…? 

Stopping in his tracks, he took a deep breath and slowly turned around to face the mirror again. He turned on the light and studied his reflection again.

Only one this time. Good. Hiashi didn't want to think he was going crazy…

Hiashi turned out the light again and headed down the wide, curved stairway. Making his way through the marble-floored main hall and fancy parlor, Hiashi finally entered the dining room and sat back down at the dinner table, purposely ignoring the questioning glances from his concerned parents. Picking up his fork, he poked plaintively at the food remaining on his plate, no longer with any desire to eat. 

Hiashi remained silent the rest of the night.

So, what do you think? I hope it's not too bad! Seven pages was a lot of effort for me. I'm having so much fun with this fic…  I hope you can guess where the plot line is going and if you can't, well, it just goes to show that I need practice. I hope you enjoyed it! Please review! I'll love you forever!! If you have any ideas for the plot, please let me know because I'd love to hear your suggestions. Ja ne! ^^

-Kaen


	2. A Change of Plans

Nijuusei

Chapter 2: A Change of Plans

By Kaen

Yui stared out the window of her classroom, her chin propped on her left hand. She gazed intently, even though it was too dark to see anything. She continued to ignore the rambling teacher, whose lecture she might have found quite interesting had she cared at the moment. Her mind was elsewhere and that was probably painfully obvious to anyone who may have looked. 

But she didn't care. There were more important matters at hand. Like Suboshi… Or rather, Kokuei. Although Kokuei didn't know it, he was probably the reincarnation of Suboshi. Yui sighed heavily at the thought. It had been impossible for her to be comfortable around Suboshi, and she had never truly appreciated or missed him until he had died for her. That poor boy had died twice for her and the second time Yui couldn't bear it. But was she really so selfish to truly only appreciate him after he had died the first time?

He died trying to defend me… No, hardly defending me, more like defending my pride. Yui scowled. If it weren't for her stupid jealousy, he would probably still be alive and living peacefully with his brother back in the book. Suboshi was most definitely dead and the odds of him ever being reincarnated without his twin, in Yui's world, at the age as what he should be had he not died, and remembering her on top of all that was… zero to none. 

Yui leaned further over her desk as she slouched lower. Kokuei was way too much like Suboshi to _not_ be his reincarnation. It was so easy to see from the way he looked and acted, especially around her, but Yui found herself being skeptical. Suboshi had died over two years ago and in her world.  All the other seishi who'd been reincarnated had all died in the Universe of the Four Gods world were reincarnated, or at least, Miaka's seishi had been. She didn't know about Tatara… She still felt terrible about what she did to him… But could it really be possible that Suboshi had been reborn though? 

No, she had to stop thinking that! If she allowed herself to believe that the no-name boy was Suboshi then she'd just be let down. And how could it even be even possible that Suboshi was reborn without his brother? Without Amiboshi, Suboshi was incomplete and vice versa… Suboshi and Amiboshi were always together when they could be, and Kokuei had made no reference to an "Aniki" or even any family at all. And besides, miracles didn't happen to her. Only Miaka had been that lucky, but then again she had been the one who deserved it.

Miaka had been blessed with receiving Tamahome in the form of Taka, but Yui knew how hard it had been to go back to where they were when he was just a character in a book. She still secretly envied their loving relationship for a while, but eventually accepted the fact that she'd probably never have anyone to love her unconditionally like that. Well, for a while there, she thought she had found someone, but it turned out to be the biggest mistake of her life. 

Nakago had deceived her and played on her emotions while pretending to love her and she had let him do so. She wanted so desperately to belong to someone the way Miaka did, in a tender relationship, so Yui had readily accepted Nakago's "love" without realizing that he was merely using her as his pawn. Actually, she had realized that at some point, but she didn't want to hear it. That was right, wasn't it? She had been _told_ that Nakago was deceiving her, but she wouldn't listen. Suboshi had tried so hard to warn her, and yet she wouldn't listen. What an idiot she was…

Sighing heavily at her own foolishness Yui tore her gaze from the window, letting it rest on a particularly interesting mark on the desk. Well, maybe not all that interesting, but she just couldn't focus. On top of all her conflicting feelings she was homesick. Not just for home itself, but for the people who lived there. Miaka could have easily graduated this year with Yui but Miaka had chosen to throw all her hard work away in this last year of high school in order to be married to Taka. Yui couldn't help but be disappointed at that. She had been so proud of Miaka when she made it into the same high school as herself, and now she just let it all mount to nothing. At least Miaka was happy, though. After the incident in the Universe of the Four Gods, Yui had tried so hard to do nothing to upset Miaka. She has caused her so much pain already, and yet Miaka had taken her back. Although she didn't often show it, she was eternally grateful for Miaka's forgiveness and Yui truly believed that Miaka deserved all the happiness that could ever come in life.

Yui's attention was forced back to the present as she noticed her classmates standing up and preparing to leave. Class was over and it was time for her to make her way home. No shortcuts this time, though. She shuddered to think what could have happened if Suboshi, no Kokuei, hadn't shown up when he did. Standing up, Yui closed her blank notebook and shoved it into her already stuffed backpack. Her mind continued to drift as she left the campus and began the eleven-block walk home, being particularly careful to stay in the light of the street lamps. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What do you mean, 'we're moving'?" exclaimed Hiashi.

"Hiashi, your father lost his job a month ago… He needed to find new work and well…" Hiashi hardly heard a word after being told his father had lost his job. He father was the main provider for the family and had never even _mentioned_ trouble at work.

Interrupting his mother, Hiashi asked, "Why didn't you tell me? I could have handled it!"

His mother's dark brown eyes shone with pain. It was obvious that she was just as upset as he was at this sudden turn of events. Hiashi knew his mother loved the ocean, which was the primary reason they lived as close to the beach as they did. They lived in a rather large house, more like a manor than anything else, and Hiashi was very fond of it. The thought had never crossed his mind that he might have to leave it all…

"Son, we're very sorry... We know how much you like it here, but we can't stay here much longer. The payments on this house have caught up with us after only a month and if we continue to live here, we could go bankrupt. Actually, we should have been expecting a situation like this! You know how unstable the job of Chief Financial Officer is, and with this recession…" Hiashi's father continued rambling trying to make the situation not as bad as it was.  It was evident that no one in the family wanted to leave the beautiful place where they lived, but there truly was no choice. It was either to leave California and stay in budget or stay and go bankrupt. Hiashi didn't like either idea, but he knew how arduous it would be to get out of debt even if his father were offered another job nearby.

 Biting his lower lip, trying to hide his disappointment, Hiashi asked, "So… where to?"

His mother flinched as she turned away from him and gently urged the father to tell the news. 

"I've been offered a job in… New York City." He explained. Seeing his son's eyes widen, he continued quickly, " It's a good job! I'll actually being making more than I was before and there would be no problem supporting us, even during the move… I can't change my mind now. I've already accepted the position."

Hiashi felt as though his entire world was being turned upside-down. And in a way, it was. He really hated the idea of leaving his beautiful home in California for some cold, overpopulated city on the other side of the nation. Noticing that his parents were staring at him and waiting patiently for his reply, he said, "We should do what we have to, then. If it's in our better interest, I will move with no further complaint."

His parents were relieved at his understanding response and Hiashi felt a little better. He truly did love this place and despised the thought of leaving, but the choice was not his and he would change nothing by fighting it. Standing up from the comfy sofa he was sitting on, Hiashi walked over and hugged his mother to comfort her. Returning her son's embrace, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the beautiful boy that she had been blessed with. Surely there was no one else like him in this entire world, so warm and understanding…

Breaking off the hug, Hiashi placed his hands on his mother's shoulder and smiled reassuringly, attempting to ease back the tears that were threatening to overflow. She smiled back, though it was only half-heartedly, and silently thanked him for his understanding. Removing his hands, he turned to his father and gave him a nod, signifying that he sincerely did understand. When Hiashi felt that both his parents were at ease, he excused himself from the room. 

Climbing up the steps Hiashi entered his bedroom and closed the door. Making no effort to turn on a light, he set a chair in front of his window and pulled open the curtains. He opened his window all the way, feeling the cool and humid breeze that lazily drifted in. Turning his midnight blue eyes to the matching sky Hiashi gazed silently at the heavens. The full moon shone brightly down on the ocean, seemingly to illuminate the night with its pale silver rays. The stars were twinkling and amidst the constellations, Hiashi caught sight of an unusually bright star. Looking at it more closely Hiashi realized that is wasn't just one star, but rather two. They were so close together that it was difficult to distinguish the difference. Recognizing the rarity of this condition, Hiashi climbed out of his window and sat on the overhang directly beneath to see better. Leaning back lazily again the outside wall Hiashi made a wish upon the bright double star.

"Nijuusei, please let this move be best for my family…"

Hiashi stayed on that ledge the entire night, returning inside only when the rising sun marked the beginning of a new day.

Yay! Chapter 1 is done!! It's hard to come up with a plot after the initial brainstorming, so hopefully this wasn't too disappointing. ^^ Please review! I've actually had one whole review so far, but I still would love to get more! Thanks for you feedback! Bye!

-Kaen


	3. Convenience Store Mishap

Nijuusei

Chapter 3: Convenience Store Mishap

Hiashi sighed as he placed the last box in the entryway of their new house. It had been a long move and the sight of cluttered boxes in total disarray was not comforting. Although the new house was not small, it was not by any means large either. And comparatively, it was not nearly as beautiful as the home he was used to. This house was built in almost a Victorian style, but the overruling New York City atmosphere made it seems dark and glum. As expected, Hiashi hated it, but he refused to let on any signs of that to his parents. He knew that they were already tense from the risk of this move and they surely didn't need any more worries. 

Turning away from the mess that was the hallway Hiashi turned and walked up the creaky steps to his new bedroom. It was at the end of the hall, but it was the only room with a decent view. It overlooked an alleyway, but beyond that there was a nice view of the city's vast skyscrapers. Being quite different than what he was used to, the city naturally amazed Hiashi. He was a bit anxious to go exploring, but perhaps now wasn't the time. Then again, he _had_ already helped move in furniture and boxes, and wasn't that all they had planned on doing today? Maybe he could go out just for a little while; perhaps just to get a bottle of soda or something like that. Hiashi recalled passing a 7-11 or some other convenience store on the way through the neighborhood, and it was only a few blocks away. Weighing the choices in his mind Hiashi's thirst eventually got the better of him and he raced down the steps to find his heavy, blue jacket. He just couldn't get used to how cold this city was…

Upon finding the jacket amidst the chaos that was the living room, Hiashi put it on and wrapped it tightly around himself.

"Mom! Dad! I'm going to that convenience store down the street. Do you want anything?" Hiashi called out into the practically empty house. After a moment's pause, his mother's voice came from upstairs somewhere requesting a bottle of Diet Coke, while his father asked for a root beer. Hiashi checked his wallet to make sure he had enough money and when he was satisfied, he opened the front door.

"Be back soon!" Hiashi told his parents as he closed the door and began walking.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kokuei shifted in his sleep as his skin was exposed to the cold city air. Unable to ignore the chill any longer he awoke and took in his surroundings. He was in one of the nicer neighborhoods and, knowing exactly how welcome he was there, he forced himself onto his feet and stretched. In mid-stretch his stomach let out a loud growl and Kokuei dropped his arms and stared down, thinking. How long had it been since he had eaten anything? One, no… two days… Groaning, Kokuei began roaming the streets looking for anything that was still edible. He shivered as the cold wind permeated his thin shirt and he closed his eyes, attempting to keep some warmth in his body. When the wind had died down some, Kokuei reopened his eyes and caught a brief glimpse of a piece of green paper floating down the street, caught in the wind. He squinted, trying to see better, and then the realization hit him like a brick. _Money!_

Chasing after the money like the broke fool that he was, Kokuei succeeded in knocking over two trashcans, tripping over a fire hydrant, tearing the a hole in the knee of his pants, and cursing rather loudly. After a long and difficult "journey," Kokuei finally caught up with the stubborn bill and clutched it tightly in his hand. Grinning in obvious pride, he opened his hand. He grinned even wider when he saw that it was a twenty-dollar bill, probably the most money he'd had at once in his entire life! His small celebration was cut short as another cold wind whipped him, finding the new hole his already tattered jeans.

Kokuei's smile faded to a frown, but then brightened again. He could go shopping! Well, maybe not to the most prestigious shopping center, but Goodwill had always been satifactory to him. _Beggars can't be choosers… _he thought glumly, his thoughts returning to his appearance. He was wearing a pair of jeans with holes now in both knees, sneakers with one of the toes almost completely torn away, and a bloodied, faded green plaid, button up over shirt with just a few buttons. On his right forearm were the bandages that his newfound friend, Yui, had tied. He still hadn't checked the wound, but then again that was only last night.

Kokuei missed Yui already. There was something about her that was so endearing to him and he just couldn't place it. Even though he was probably one of the lowest classes of people in this world, Yui had talked to him and helped him. It was just the way that she had looked at him at first that made him feel almost… out of place, like he was expected to be someone else. He shouldn't be reading so much into it though. The poor girl was probably too frightened to be thinking logically anyway. Kokuei was brought out of his thoughts by the stares of the habitants of the neighborhood. They had probably been lured to their windows and front doors by the crash of the trashcans and the significantly loud profanities. Pocketing the money while smiling nervously, Kokuei walked back to the cans and picked them up, replacing the bags that had fallen out. When he felt his task was complete, he turned around and began walking towards the Goodwill. It was a good four-mile walk away, but it was definitely worth it. It was way cold _not_ to be worth it.

As Kokuei was leaving the subdivision, he caught scent of some sort of food and his stomach growled. Placing a hand over his abdomen he looked around and spotted a 7-11 at the corner. Would he be able to afford anything with what he was saving his money for? Smirking, he realized that he didn't _need _to pay. He often didn't anyway, but who could really blame him? No one would hire such a scruffy-looking kid, and in this city not many people cared about charity. Stealing wasn't exactly the _moral_ thing to do, but it was the only way to get by. Picking up his pace with newfound initiative, Kokuei couldn't help but smile in the anticipation of something to eat. After all, it had been two days.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hiashi walked down the street absentmindedly. This place felt so familiar, yet distant at the same time. It was a strange feeling, and Hiashi just couldn't come to terms with it. Looking up to check his surroundings Hiashi was caught off guard by a plain, yet intriguing, sight. He was starting to get into the more run-down area of the neighborhood, and so the sight of an old dark deserted house should have been expected. But something about the three-storied house stopped him dead in his tracks, and he stared. In a sudden lapse of thoughts, Hiashi lost himself in an obscured memory. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hiashi watched as a well-built man threw him, a much smaller form of him, to the wall. He heard the screams of a woman, but he couldn't see her form very well past her long light brown hair. He watched in horror as the man flung the woman around and grabbed the woman by the neck, lifting her completely off her feet. The woman gasped for air, but couldn't seem to take in any and she struggled hard against the man's violent hold. She finally stopped struggling and after what seemed like hours the man dropped the woman to the ground and she lay there motionless. Although Hiashi could see himself slumped down unconscious against the wall, his perspective was different, like he was hiding under a sofa or some other piece of large furniture. The room stayed as it was, until the last rays of sunlight finally died and the room darkened completely. The man hadn't moved, either. He just stood there, staring at the woman's body, almost expecting it to just get up and start walking around or something equally improbable. When he finally seemed to confirm for himself that she was dead, he shrieked. He continued screaming for help, but abruptly fell silent again. 

The man calmly walked over to the window and opened it, and in a moment was staggering up to the roof from the windowsill. The man was lost from his viewpoint from under the furniture, but the loud scream and sickening thud were unmistakable… Hiashi's viewpoint stayed still for a long time before getting up slowly and walking over to the fallen woman, dropping to his knees as he continued to look upon her lifeless form. A sob escaped into the area surrounding and he turned to see… himself… looking over the viewpoint's shoulder at the woman. He stayed like that staring for a minute or two, and then turned and took off at a dead run towards the door. Someone had shouted something then, but Hiashi couldn't remember what it was. He just watched himself run away, and his viewpoint's position slumped, and it fell dark.

When his viewpoint awoke, it was bright outside and an unfamiliar man was gently shaking him awake. The next few moments were all a blur and all he could remember was the soft weeping as his viewpoint was escorted out of the house, hand-in-hand, by a large woman who was speaking soothing words like a gentle prayer. He got one last glance at the house, and then everything faded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hiashi snapped out of his reverie with a start, his heart beating so loudly and rapidly that he could hear it in his ears. _What in the world was that?!? _He took a huge gulp of air, trying to calm his adrenaline-laced body. He noticed that he was shaking, swaying on his feet, and that people were staring. Many people were staring. He smiled timidly at the gaping citizens who were just going about their daily lives when they were rapt by Hiashi's strange display. Feeling incredibly nervous, Hiashi took off in a sprint towards the 7-11 that was two blocks away and didn't stop until he had reached the front doors of the small store. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kokuei browsed the aisles stocked with food, enthralled by the thought of each one he laid his eyes on. It all looked so _delicious_… Although many of the munchies did look yummy, few looked filling. It wasn't until Kokuei had reached the bread that he found something of his liking. Grinning in satisfaction, Kokuei picked up the loaf and knelt down behind the aisle, hiding him from the store's clerk. Lifting up an extremely baggy pants leg, Kokuei stuffed the bread inside and secured it with its twisty to his shoe. Quickly standing up, Kokuei took a few trial steps to ensure the stability of his food and when he was satisfied continued browsing the aisles as if he was still looking for something. It was then that he noticed the security camera. Pointed right at him.

"Oh, _shit…_"

He jumped slightly as a loud banging came from the door near him, as if someone was having problems with the knob or something. Not giving it much more thought, Kokuei ran out the back door of the 7-11 and continued to run until he was safely hidden in a dark alley, several blocks away. Luckily, the clerk had been too busy with a customer to notice the youth's abrupt departure.  

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Somewhere in the back rooms, the store manager munched lazily from a bag of potato chips. He was a large man, easily two hundred pounds and didn't seem to care very much about his appearance; evident from the way he stuffed his face with junk foods. He was balding and attempted to cover the spot up with a comb-over, a very _bad _comb-over, but aren't they all? He stared intently at one of the screens in his office, and let out a sudden yell.

"No! You idiot! What the hell is wrong with you? When the quarterback throws you the ball, you're _supposed_ to catch it! That was a _perfect_ throw!! What the _hell_ is wrong with you?!?"

As predicted, he wasn't watching the security monitors… As the game went into a commercial break, the large man discarded the empty bag of chips as his face returned to a normal hue. By some freak accident, the man actually glanced up at the security monitors just in time to see a rough-looking kid stuff a loaf of bread up the leg of his pants... Blinking in confusion, the man focused the camera on the face of the kid. When he was content with the visual confirmation of the bread-thief, he stood up from his chair and burst from his office. That was one little thief that wasn't going to get away.

Fumbling with the door that led to the main part of the store, the fat man lost patience with the stubborn knob and began banging on the door. Why'd that thing choose _now_ of all times to get stuck?! Stopping to tug on the door, he cursed as it again refused to open. It was a minute later that he finally realized that it was locked… and that all he had to do… was twist the deadbolt. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hiashi opened the door to the 7-11, placing his coat on a nearby bench. His light blue short-sleeved flannel shirt clung to him slightly as he removed his jacket. He panted slightly, still out of breath from his sprint. He paused for a moment, leaning on the bench. When he regained some of his energy, Hiashi walked over the refrigerators housing the sodas while his baggy, yet comfortable, pants swishing softly. He picked out a Dr. Pepper for himself, a Diet Coke as his mother had requested, and root beer for his father. Satisfied with his selections, Hiashi made his way up to the counter and put his items on it. It was then, as Hiashi was about to pay for his selections, that a man burst from the back room and glared at him.

"Stop right there, you little _thief_," the man growled menacingly, and Hiashi couldn't do anything but stare as he lost his grip on his money and it drifted to the ground.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kokuei panted heavily as he slumped against the wall of a house. He had succeeded in his operation, but it was probably best to keep on going until he was out of the area. His thoughts turned to his stolen bread and he sat down, preparing to feast upon his victory prize. He was reaching down towards his left shoe as the voice of a woman called to him.

"Hiashi! There you are! We were getting worried! Get inside now; we need your help moving furniture… What are you doing down there, anyway?"

Kokuei blinked. Hiashi? Who's that? "Sorry, but I'm not Hiashi…" he tried to explain to the woman looking down on him from an upstairs window.  It was really starting to get to him; that was the second case of mistaken identity in two days.

"Stop fooling around and get up here! We're moving your things up to your room now, anyway! Get in here and help out!" the woman called again.

"But I'm not-"

"NOW!!!"

The lady sounded pretty pissed, but could he really enter some stranger's house? It didn't seem to matter to her. He guessed that he and her son must look alike. Oh well… He'd just have to go inside and explain to her that he's not who she thinks he is. Kokuei sighed and made his way to the front door. He paused for a moment, debating with himself once again. He had to meet Yui in about two hours and to make his way across town in that amount of time was already cutting it, so did he have time for this? Groaning, Kokuei forced himself to open the door and go inside, shutting the door firmly behind him.

So, now what? Just kidding! It's going to be a lot harder for me from here on out, though. I just want to tell you how much I appreciate your reviews! I've had… *counts on fingers* … six reviews so far! Yeah! From what I'm getting, you'd all like me to continue writing, so I'll keep at it. Just keep reviewing, okay? I'd still love to hear any ideas you may have for upcoming chapters, so please don't hesitate to let me know. I'll try to have the next chapter up soon, but not tonight. It's 11:33 p.m., so I'm done writing for now. Thanks for reading and good night! ^^

-Kaen

PS- I don't own Fushigi Yugi, Goodwill, or 7-11. 7-11 was just the first convenience store name that popped into my head and as for Dr. Pepper, it's just yummy, but I don't own that company either. And no, I don't own the Coca-Cola Company. I don't own much of anything, do I? ^^&


	4. Dreams of a Past Reality

GAHHHHHH!!! Tomo's possessed my phone!! How? Why?! I'll tell you! Every time I pick it up off the receiver it's fine, but when I try to dial something, anything, it cackles! It goes, "takkakakaa!" I swear it does! It's so creepy!!! I can't even dial for help! Okay... um… As I go to find help (aka an exorcist) why don't you read the next chapter? Good idea, right? *ponders*I wonder if I can keep Tomo? After I get him out of my phone (yes, my _phone_), that is… Damn, Seiryuu is *weird* sometimes… *dials random numbers* No! I've been… _disconnected!!!_

Once again, I'm afraid I'm going to have to apologize.  This is yet _another _revision, but is includes all the chapters thus far. Since I finally decided to proofread and edit this story, I've found hundreds of stupid mistakes. These mistakes include leaving out words, improper word tenses, and etcetera. Being without a computer for an entire week, I drove myself absolutely crazy by staring at all the errors with no way to correct them and so now that I have a computer to work on, my revised edition is finally out. Sorry again and thanks to everyone for living with my incompetence all this time! ^^&

Hehehe… Guess what? I need to revise this chapter. Again!  I watched the OAV again and realized that I screwed up big time so as soon as I finish chapter four, I'm going to be fixing this one. I'm so sorry! No more spoilers for me, ne? Expect to see the revisions soon and if it won't be too much trouble, please reread this chapter when they're out. I'll provide notice when it's repaired. Sorry!

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Nijuusei

Chapter 4: Dreams of a Past Reality

By Kaen

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The hot days of summer were taking their toll on the village's numerous crops. It seemed like everyone was always outside, doing one thing or another to help the withering crops and Kai-Ka was no exception. In the past two years that he could remember, the summer's heat had never been so severe. He sighed, wiping the sweat off his brow before gripping the handle of ground pick and plunging back into the hardened soil. There was no point in getting pessimistic about the situation, especially when there was important work to be done. 

"Aniki…" 

Kai–Ka froze, pausing momentarily from his work in the fields. He stood rigid and silent, listening intently to hear the voice again. It was so strange… It didn't feel like the voice was coming from somewhere around him, but rather… _Absurd_, he told himself. There was no way someone could be communicating with him mentally. Dismissing the thought Kai-Ka raised the hoe above his head and began to strike the hard ground with it again.__

"Aniki!"

Kai-Ka gasped. He was sure of it this time! That voice hadn't been from outside of him. Was he going insane? Maybe the heat was getting to him. He _had_ been working the entire morning. _I should probably be taking a break soon, anyway_, he thought, noting the high position of the sun. But that voice just wouldn't leave him alone. What was it talking about, anyway? Kai-Ka knew for a fact that he was an only-child, so why did someone keep on calling "Aniki" to him?

"He's such a hard worker!"

Kai-Ka blinked twice, the voice of the other villager bringing him out of his deep concentration.

"Yeah, I wish my son did half the work he does!" commented another villager.

Shrugging off the compliments as being about him, not to him, Kai-Ka began walking deeper in the fields. He didn't like people watching him work; it made him uneasy.  After he was a comfortable distance away, he lifted up the large tool again and then…

"ANIKI!!" the voice screamed, being far too loud to be ignored. _That cry…_Kai-Ka dropped the tool, his breathing shallow and coarse. His eyes grew wide and unfocused and then Kai-Ka felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, almost like something had gone right through him. He doubled over, barely keeping himself from passing out. Although he felt as though he'd been impaled, the pain of Kai-Ka's body was no match for the agony in his heart. Emotions flew through him with the force of a coursing river, such strong feelings of utter terror and regret and something he couldn't exactly name…

"Aniki," a hoarse voice whispered, "Aniki! I'm scared! I-I don't want to die here… I'm afraid…"

Die?! Who's dying? That voice was afraid of death? Or maybe afraid of dying alone? Who in the world was that? Kai-Ka was trembling as he shut his eyes tightly, unable to ignore the emotional blur and pain any longer. He was forgetting something; he just knew it! But what could be so important yet completely evade him at the same time? 

It was then that Kai-Ka felt something wet pooling beneath him. His eyes flew open and he was startled to see a deep blue liquid surrounding him and walls beginning to form around him. He gasped and tried to move, but the blue liquid (water?) was spreading too quickly and soon it had totally engulfed him. Kai-Ka attempted to scream, but the water left him totally mute and disoriented. His mind began to grow dim and his consciousness faded, but as quickly as it had begun, it ceased. Was that how it felt… to die?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A policeman watched from behind his desk as the convict stirred in his sleep. He was quiet most the time, but it really was nerve-wracking when he'd let out a cry like someone was trying to kill him. Shuddering, the policeman turned his eyes back to his newspaper. Just as long as the kid shut up until they figured out who he was. The kid, who looked about eighteen, claimed to be new in the city and didn't know his phone number yet. The policeman shrugged. He could have sworn he'd seen that same kid around the city before, but then again he could be mistaking him for someone else. The police officer paused in his thoughts to reflect on the arrest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the police car had arrived the manager of the store had already cornered the youth. Although he made no attempt to escape, he kept on arguing that he was innocent and he didn't know what the manager was even talking about. The kid just kept on saying that he was new in the city and he was taking a break from moving in the new house when he came to the convenience store. The weird part was that the kid had the money to pay for the three sodas he'd chosen and was about to, so the store's clerk had said, when the manager burst from the back rooms and accused him. The slob –eh, _manager_- had waited until the cops arrived before he even explained what was going on and the kid seemed totally oblivious of the crime he was talking about. The policeman shuddered again, remembering the most interesting part of the arrest. While the manager was trying to prove that the kid had stolen a loaf of bread, he kneeled on the floor and yanked up the kid's baggy pant leg. Naturally, the kid freaked and fell over. He landed with a resounding "thud," being totally perplexed. Needless to say, there was no bread up the kid's pants…

The manager was furious to be proven wrong, but the guy just didn't give up. He dragged the entire group, including the kid, into the back room where he rewound the security camera's tape where there was indeed a kid stuffing a loaf of bread up the leg of his pants. On camera the youth had looked a little rougher, but the visual of his face and the clothes left no doubt in the law officials' mind. Not requesting to see any more of the tape, the officers arrested the youth who was silent with the shock of supposedly seeing himself commit a crime he never did. He'd been completely silent on the ride to the station, obviously lost in deep thought. 

The officer knew it must have been his first felony from the way he was clueless on what to do once they reached the station, and all the while the officer couldn't help but pity him. He just looked too lost and innocent to commit even the smallest crime. After showing him to his cell, the kid even _thanked_ him, a sure sign of a good upbringing. He didn't protest at all, either. He just sat down on the hard bed, eventually reclining and going to sleep. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The policeman sighed and propped his feet on the desk. It wasn't like him to feel pity for his prisoners, but this kid just seemed so lost. He didn't even know his phone number or exact address, so he just waited for his parents to come looking for him. Giving the kid one last glance the policeman lifted the newspaper up again and lost himself in the many articles. He didn't notice when the captive fell completely silent and his breathing slowed to an imperceptibly light pattern.

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Kai-Ka felt that he was somehow suspended in midair even before he opened his eyes. It was an incredible feeling, like how it must feel to fly. The air was cool, but not chilling and felt wonderful after being in the sun for so long. The sounds of water could be heard from every direction, splashing and dripping. It was so peaceful and Kai-Ka found himself growing very tired. Forcing back his growing weariness, Kai-Ka slowly opened his eyes to his ambiance. It was beautiful… far too breathtaking for mere words…

Pure and clear water flowed from everywhere. Waterfalls scaled down from invisible walls and poured into what should have been a basin of water, but instead was a clear night's sky. The stars and dark night swirled slowly beneath him and the waterfalls continued to fall until they were completely out of sight, leaving behind trails of white mist amongst the stars. Above Kai-Ka was what could be called a ceiling, which appeared to be the endless horizon of a lake rippled as though a stone had just been thrown into it. The ceiling's undulations never stopped, but Kai-Ka could just barely make out his own reflection. In a surreal movement Kai-Ka felt himself drawn to the so-called ceiling of the mystical place in just one act of sheer will. Reaching up to touch it gingerly Kai-Ka was surprised to find that the seemingly delicate surface of the water was a rippling, yet hard glasslike barrier. Slowly retracting his hand Kai-Ka was startled to find that his reflection did not.

He gazed wondrously back at his image as his own reflection gave him a warm and loving smile. Bringing himself closer to the barrier, Kai-Ka's "reflection" stared at him fixedly before finally speaking.

"Aniki… Can you see me now?" His voice was filled with anxiety and it was obvious he'd been trying to reach Kai-Ka for quite some time. Kai-Ka shook slightly from the intensity in the other's eyes. Who was he? A part of himself? Why would a part of himself be calling him "elder brother," though? It just didn't make sense.  Realizing that the mirror image was waiting for an answer, Kai-Ka complied.

"Yes, I can see you… but who are you?" he asked, his eyes burning with an intensity equal to that of his "reflection." He had been a little hesitant to speak at first, afraid that he really _was _talking to himself. Upon realizing that his reflection's question had not been of his own mind's conception Kai-Ka began to speak with more confidence.

"Do you truly not remember me, your Otouto?" Although the reflection seemed to expect this fact, a wave of grief shadowed his face all the same. Smiling sadly, the reflection –no, his "brother"- brought something into his hand from thin air. Kai-Ka stared in wonder as the object took the form of a flute, but something slender weighing down his own hand diverted his attention. Holding up the object, Kai-Ka realized that he held the same flute, identical right down to the tassel tied at the end of it. 

The instrument felt strangely familiar in his hands and yet another nagging feeling began to form in the back of Kai-Ka's mind. Kai-Ka felt himself bringing the instrument to his lips, he himself mirroring his "little brother." Smiling reassuringly, the younger of the two boys began to play a slow and sorrowful melody. Kai-Ka felt himself playing along inevitably. Somehow the tune felt old and familiar, but Kai-Ka could not place where he'd heard it before. As the duet continued, Kai-Ka could feel his mind and heart gradually unlocking. His mind became a distant haze, but Kai-Ka kept playing, allowing his heart to lead the way. _Almost there… what's been hidden for so long and what I long to know…I can almost remember! _The other noticed this change in Kai-Ka's actions and his eyes softened, continuing the mysterious duet. 

In that instant the final wall around Kai-Ka's heart collapsed and his lost memories were finally brought to light. Kai-Ka lost himself in memories and revelations, amazed to find that he'd led a much more exciting life than he had previously thought. He was Amiboshi, of the Seiryuu Seven. He was ally of Suzaku, despite his celestial connotation. He was an orphan of a civil war, and the identical twin of Bu Shunkaku, Suboshi another warrior of the Seiryuu. He finally knew the truth about his adoptive parents. All the revelations brought to light after so much time filled him with joy yet weighed his soul down with sorrow at the same time. The leaves of forgetfulness; he could remember how he forget everything, why he wanted to and lastly, who had let him. His entire peaceful life was given to him out of the compassion of his Otouto. His little brother had let him forget, he himself no longer tied in the conflict between Suzaku and Seiryuu. 

Amiboshi, no longer considering himself Kai-Ka, felt the steady pull bringing him back to his current reality. He was grateful for the lack of gravity in the chamber, knowing that he surely would have collapsed from the flood of memories if there had been. He still had a loose grip on the flute, and he subconsciously noted that the only sound to be heard was the falling of water. Suboshi had stopped playing. _Suboshi, my little brother…_

"Otouto…" Amiboshi whispered, his soft voice full of love and indebtedness. He couldn't remember a time when he had ever loved his brother more. Amiboshi looked up to meet the warm eyes of his brother. They just stared at each other for a long time, taking in the other's aura and being content in that presence. Amiboshi finally broke the silence by asking the question that had been puzzling him since he had remembered.

"Otouto, what happened in those years I couldn't remember? Why must I see you here in spirit but not in body?"

The long remorseful silence seemed to answer the question itself. Amiboshi found himself expecting the worst, confirming his fears before Suboshi even spoke. Suboshi looked away as he sensed Amiboshi's anxiousness. He didn't want to explain what had happened, but Aniki had every right to and needed to know. Taking a weary breath, Suboshi began to tell his story

"I… I died… In our miko's world, Aniki. Two years ago. I know you felt it! All my fear and loneliness… It was all relayed back to you, but only for a second. You cried, but you didn't know why. And when you felt like half of you had been torn away, or rather when it had returned, and it had! I came back to you! My spirit has been with you for two years, Aniki. We were the way we were supposed to be during that time, I think. My spirit was asleep, but I know you felt my presence and now… I've been with you all this time, but I awoke now to ask a favor of you…"

Amiboshi was astonished. First at finding that his beloved Otouto was dead and had been for two years, and second at learning that they had been rejoined. He didn't know which shocked him more, but he just couldn't understand why he hadn't been able to sense his twin's ki. It was so unusual that he had gone undetected for so long, even though he had still been suffering from a rather strange form of amnesia. Realizing that his twin was still waiting for his response, Amiboshi brought himself back to the matter at hand.

"I need your body," Amiboshi gasped. If Suboshi was dead, what business did he have with Amiboshi's body? Was there something he didn't know yet? 

"Why, Otouto? Please go on," Amiboshi said shakily, his mind a thickening blur of questions and thoughts.

"Hai… The priestess, Yui-sama, has returned to our world, but not as Seiryuu no Miko… 

She is now the Priestess of Genbu, and although I don't understand why, she is nonetheless in need of my, I mean _our_ protection. Please, Aniki! We must protect her!"

"Yui-sama? Seiryuu's miko? How could she return as the priestess for another god…?" Amiboshi was thinking aloud and Suboshi decided to remain silent. Turning back to Amiboshi, Suboshi pleaded to his brother again.

"Please, Aniki! We must protect her… _please!_" the desperation in his twins voice was unmistakable; he really was begging. Amiboshi stared at Suboshi for a minute before asking, "You love her, don't you? She's the girl you died for before, isn't she?"

Suboshi's eyes began to tear up before he smiled weakly and nodded. It would have been obvious to anyone to see the unconditional love that shone from Suboshi's dark blue eyes. Amiboshi's returned the smile, letting out a soft chuckle. Suboshi looked at him questioningly, and Amiboshi answered, "Who would have ever thought it? My little brother in love. Even I had never considered such a possibility." Suboshi blushed.

Amiboshi's soft laughter died away, the realm's only sound once again being the splashing of water. The twins stared intensely at each other for another minute, neither breaking the eye contact. Finally, Amiboshi sighed heavily and nodded slightly, indicating his agreement. He knew how much his Otouto cared about Yui and if it required the use of Amiboshi's own body to defend her, so be it. Amiboshi's solemn look changed into a look of entertainment as his twin smiled widely from the other side of the impediment. In an unexpected move Suboshi lifted his hand to the glass water, the ripple of the water rebounding off it. Suboshi closed his eyes in deep concentration and exerted a forceful energy on the glass water and Amiboshi gasped as the barrier that separated them cracked. 

In just another second the glass water completely shattered and the sharp shards sparkled as they spun and flew in every direction. Amiboshi shielded his face with his arms, but when the shards hit, they had no more impact than water would. He lowered his arms and observed in fascination as the shards transformed into rounded droplets of water. He turned his attention back to his brother when he noticed that they were much closer than before; within arm's reach. Suboshi smiled gently as he took his brother's hands and raised them up, bending at the elbow so that Amiboshi's palms were in facing him. Suboshi then laced his Aniki's fingers with his own. Stopping to gaze at his brother one last time, Suboshi's nearly soundless words filled Amiboshi's mind.

"Thank you, Aniki..." 

With these last words, Suboshi closed his eyes as well the distance between his and Amiboshi's face and pressed a light kiss to his lips. Amiboshi closed his eyes as well as he felt a soft light emit from his body. The blue light began to form an aurora between their two bodies. Amiboshi was frozen in time as he felt Suboshi's body start to fade. Amiboshi soon could no longer feel Suboshi's physical form, but the warmth that was seeping into his soul was unmistakable. In a brilliant flash of light, Amiboshi lost his control of all logical thought and his body was given to the spirit of his brother. Amiboshi felt warm and comfortable as his spirit relaxed in the place of their reunion.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kokuei stepped carefully around the many boxes in the entryway. It was painfully obvious that the people must have just moved in that day. The natural lighting of the house was poor, and it took a little while for Kokuei's eyes to adjust to the sudden change. He stood in the hall for a while before he could bring himself to go up the steps and confront that woman who'd mistaken him for someone else. Maneuvering carefully around the randomly strewn boxes, Kokuei made his way to the stairs. They creaked loudly and he cringed at the noise, but he continued his journey through the foreign house.

Seeing that only one room was lighted, Kokuei made his way towards it. He felt incredibly nervous. _What if they accuse me of entry without permission? _Kokuei had nearly been caught for stealing before, but he'd never attempted entry into someone's house. Stopping in front of the doorway Kokuei stopped muttered a meek, "Uh… Excuse me…"The woman who was kneeling on the floor with her back towards him turned and flashed a quick smile. It was evident that she still thought that Kokuei was "Hiashi." Walking over to where the woman kneeled in front of a box, Kokuei knelt down himself at eye level with the lady. He was about to speak when she spoke first. 

"Welcome home, hun. Did you get the-" Before she even finished the sentence she took a closer at Kokuei, or rather at his shirt, and let out a shocked cry. Kokuei remembered with a start that there was still dried blood on it.

"Hiashi! What in the world happened to your clothes? Did you get into a fight or something? You must have been jumped! Oh, my God! I'll call the-"

Seeing the way that this one-sided conversation was headed, Kokuei naturally felt implied to interrupt. "Nothing happened," he assured the woman quickly, "at least not today. Don't worry about me." He added as an afterthought while smiling gently. The woman nodded slowly, still in shock, before she turned back to the open box and pulled out a clean pair of pants and a dark green sweater. She handed the clothes to Kokuei before he could protest and walked out of the room, stopping just outside the door to tell him to call her when he was done changing. She stared at him for a couple seconds longer and then informed him that he needed a shower. Kokuei shot her a look of annoyance but she didn't see it because she was already walking down the hall. Realizing that the woman still didn't know that he wasn't her son, Kokuei ran to catch her. 

"Wait! I'm not-" Kokuei shut up abruptly. The woman was crying, seeking comfort in the arms of, who he imagined, was her husband. They didn't notice him and Kokuei crept back into the room silently. He couldn't bring himself to tell him that he wasn't their son. They'd just be more worried. Kokuei blinked. Why did he suddenly care so much? He tightened his grip around the bundle of clean clothing. 

Sighing in defeat, Kokuei closed the hardwood door and slumped against it. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror behind the door and admitted that he did indeed need a shower. Besides, he wanted to look nice for Yui and the clothes that lady had handed him were definitely nice. Drawing a deep breath, he opened the door and walked quickly and silently down the hall until he found the bathroom. Walking inside the small room Kokuei flipped on the light switch and closed and locked the door behind him.  He set the clothes down on the counter and then shuffled around in the cupboards until he found a large towel, soap, and a suitable shampoo. Kokuei was surprised to find that they had already unpacked so much. Shutting the cabinet door Kokuei turned to examine the shower. He quickly figured out the water controls and allowed the water to warm up. Removing the loaf of bread from his pants, he placed it on the counter with his other new treasures. Kokuei then stripped down naked, pausing to unwrap the dirtied bandages around his arm. The wound seemed to be healing fine. Yui would be happy to see that. Smiling at the thought of Yui, Kokuei checked the water temperature one last time before stepping inside the shower and relaxing under its warm and soothing cascade.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Suboshi's consciousness finally returned and he pushed himself up off of the cold ground. It was getting dark out and Yui would be arriving in this world any time now. He had to hurry, but first, he needed to find some different clothing. His brother's farmhand outfit was dirty and smelled bad and Suboshi didn't want to greet Yui smelling literally like dirt. Picking up the tool his twin had been using Suboshi began the short walk back to the house. He was fairly certain he remembered which one it was from when he'd carried his brother back to it the last time they'd been together. Suboshi made an effort to stay hidden in the shadows to avoid any unnecessary confrontations. He made it back to his brother's home without any problems. Laying the ground pick alongside the house and then sneaking inside, he made his way to what he assumed was his brother's room. He was right.

Amiboshi's room was simply decorated, but cheerful. Wide strips of light fabric pinned to the walls drooped down artistically and served as the rooms only decorations to color the thin, blank walls. One of the darker pieces was being used to cover the doorway, which Suboshi was thankful for. There was one large window above the futon that had a pleasant view overlooking the hillside and, knowing his Aniki, was probably an ideal stage for the sunrise. Suboshi walked over to the orderly shelves where "Kai-Ka's" clothes where stacked and rummaged through them until he found an outfit he liked, which ironically was very recognizable. It was the outfit Amiboshi had been wearing when he had first drifted to this village by the quick current of the river. It was Suboshi's favorite selection from out of all the other clothes and he shrugged off the dirty clothes, soon changing into the cleaner, more familiar ones. Pausing to check his appearance in the jagged mirror, Suboshi was content and he walked directly from the bedroom to the front door. His back was to Amiboshi's adoptive parents and he was about to leave when they stopped him.

"Kai-Ka, Where are you going?" the elderly woman asked. She took in his appearance and gasped. "Kai-Ka! The last time you wore those clothes…"

Suboshi didn't even flinch as the woman's eyes filled with tears. He knew that they were there, but he didn't want to see them and he didn't turn around. There was a moment of silence as the only sound that could be heard was the dinner boiling on the stove. The woman finally spoke, asking a far more tentative question.

"You'll come back soon, right?" 

Suboshi's facial expression didn't change as he began to walk out the door. He wasn't going to make any promises he didn't know that he could keep. _Aniki, you're so lucky. These people care about you so much._ Suboshi didn't see the woman break down sobbing or the raw worry in Kai-Ka's father's eyes as he attempted to comfort the woman.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The night was still and unusually chilly. The sky was clear and the stars shone brightly, joining the nearly full moon in its effort to light the darkened world. The mountains were silhouetted by the soft moonlight and the dim lighting made the night seem to stretch out infinitely. Upon closer examination, one would have realized that this still night was extraordinarily different from any other. The ghosts of Suzaku Seishi stood alongside their living counterparts and their miko. The Seiryuu Seishi ghost of Nakago stood scorning a very alive Tomo, as they both stood tormenting each other as well as the young Genbu Seishi. The entire scene was the image of chaos and to a particular Seiryuu Seishi, the new Genbu no Miko was all that he cared about. Yui's eyes were glowing an eerie bright green, and she was totally oblivious to what was happening around her. Suboshi had rushed to her side in an attempt to awake her from her trance, but his efforts were cut short as a powerful blast awakened her for him and the green faded from her eyes just before she lost her balance. He immediately caught her, treasuring the feeling of her in his arms again. In the confusion of the moment, everyone was caught off guard by the neon-magenta light that was being emitted by some unseen force. That same light took the form of a man with amazingly long grayish hair and shocking yellow cat eyes. Suboshi's first instinct was to protect Yui, but his attempts proved too late. He watched in shock as she was lifted away from him far to quickly to for him to react. 

Yui was elevated in a sphere of pinkish light and electrical rings of neon green circled around her. She looked as though she were still unconscious from being snapped out of her green-eyed trance so abruptly. Suboshi could do nothing but watch in anxiety. The man continued to talk from his point floating in the air, but Suboshi didn't hear any of it. When it felt that he was going to go insane from the torture of the situation, Suboshi heard Amiboshi's voice. "Otouto, why don't you save her?" questioned Amiboshi from somewhere deep inside Suboshi's soul.

"Aniki, if I save her your body will be destroyed. You'll die!" exclaimed Suboshi, but there was hardly any time before Amiboshi's reply. His voice was strong and unwavering as he spoke his words.

"Otouto, please save the girl that you love. When I allowed you to take position over my body, I was fully aware of the risks. I knew that this might happen and I'm not afraid. Now, please save Lady Yui!"

Suboshi's eyes filed with tears as he held out his right arm, palm down. "Thank you, Aniki…" whispered Suboshi, as the familiar form of the ryuuseisuii appeared on his straightened and stiff fingers. In a mere second, his task was complete. Suboshi had launched the ryuuseisuii at Tenkou, making him lose his concentration on the captivation of Yui. Suboshi jumped to catch her as she fell, but as his arms wrapped under her back and her knees, the powerful deflective shield of Tenkou caused the ryuuseisuii to rebound. Before he had even landed safely with Yui, Suboshi felt the expected force of the ryuuseisuii tearing a hole through his abdomen. _Just like before_, he mused weakly. Suboshi could feel his life draining steadily away, but he waited for Yui to awaken. In a matter of seconds, she was conscious and staring into Suboshi's warm tear-filled eyes. He held her in a supportive and tender position for a little while, but soon began to speak to her.

"Yui-sama, I love you… I always have. I'm so happy I had a chance to see you again…" Suboshi's voice started to grow hoarse and weak, and Yui looked at him questioningly.

"Suboshi, why are you telling me these things now?" Yui gasped as his eyes began to drift shut, even though he was clearly trying so hard to keep them open. "Suboshi? Why now?" she choked out, her own voice falling to a subtle whisper.

"I love you, Yui-sama…" Suboshi's body slumped down as his eyes fluttered the last time and Yui felt the comfortable support of her body give way. 

"Suboshi? _Suboshi?!_" Yui cried, the Suzaku Seishi staring in pity. The stars grew brighter as the moon broke free of the clouds and a despairing scream pierced the night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hiashi awoke with a start, breathing heavily and sweating. _What was happening to him?_ First the weird house, and now _this_! He sat straight up in the makeshift bed of his cell, his breath now coming in ragged sobs. It was then that he realized that he was crying, as the tears fell freely down his already dampened cheeks. Several minutes later Hiashi felt that he had finally gotten a grip on himself. He brought himself back to the present and stared mindlessly at the cell's floor. Was he really going insane? He could have sworn that he'd lived that situation before and that pain felt so real. What was wrong with him? Was he just too tired from the move? Groaning as a headache threatened to overwhelm him, Hiashi pushed himself up off the bench/bed and made his way to the barred wall of the cell.

"Excuse me…" Hiashi called weakly, hoping that the policeman who had been watching him before was still there. He sighed in relief as he heard the shuffle of newspapers and the clicking of shoes against the cement floor. It was the same man who had shown him here, and for that Hiashi was secretly thankful. 

"Um… may I have something to drink, like water?" Hiashi asked, timidly. He really didn't want to inconvenience anyone, but he really did feel sick. The other man stared at him for a second before nodding and turning to walk to the water machine. He pulled out two plastic cups from the metal holder and filled them completely with cool water. Hiashi watched intently as the policeman did this and returned to in front of his cell. Upon handing him the two cups of water, Hiashi thanked him and went back to sit on the bench. Hiashi took shallow sips of the water, savoring every drop. He looked at the clock outside the cell and noted despairingly that he'd been at the station for nearly two hours. Why weren't his parents looking for him yet? It wasn't like them at all. Sighing, Hiashi finished off the first cup of water and reached for the second. He decided to pass the time by trying to decipher the strange dreams and memories that he that day. Were they perhaps an omen that he wasn't supposed to be here in this place? Or maybe signs that something extraordinary was about to happen…?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ta-Daaa!! So, do you think I did a good job on the spoilers? I was amazed that I managed to remember that much about it, actually. ^^& Well, what do _you_ think? This is my longest chapter yet, finally beating the prologue! I'm very proud of myself, so I'd really, _really_ appreciate lots of lovely reviews. Once again, you have no idea how awesome it is for me to get positive responses to my fic! By the way, I'd like to apologize for not including very much Yui/Kokuei interaction in this chapter and as a side note, I don't own Suboshi's loaf of bread either. As another note, I don't support twinsest. I apologize to those of you who do, but Angel Sanctuary and the Utena movie really burned me out on the topic. I wrote the reunion of Suboshi and Amiboshi as closely as I could relate it to the last time that they were together, which was, I believe, after Suboshi had just 'splatted' Tomo, so… Speaking of Tomo, we… got him out of my phone. My Okaasan fixed it, calling it rotary dialing since the phone was… unplugged. Stop laughing at me… Wow, this is a long author's note. I better end it before you all start throwing stuff at me, so I'll try to have the next chapter out soon. Thanks for reading!

-Kaen ^^


	5. The Great Escape and Random Revelations

EIIII!!! Help me! I admit it; I've gone insane. I just bought the Fushigi Yugi graphic novels 1 and 3 through 6. In one shopping trip, I might add. Do you think I need help? Uh huh… You know… Book 6 is so sad! Not to mention the animators (whom I personally despise) changed it! I guess I should explain _what_ they changed, huh? Well, the scene where Amiboshi fell into the river was entirely screwed up! In the anime, they tried to make Miaka look more compassionate by her attempting to save Amiboshi and (this is going to sound really gross) she grabbed his… flute, which he somehow still had a good grip on… She said, "Chiriko…" (which isn't his name, even after he told them he was Amiboshi)and then he smiled and let go of the flute. He THEN fell into the river, smiling serenely. No, no, no…! In the manga, Amiboshi fell BACKWARKS into the river, head first, and let go of the flute on the way down. Miaka just screamed, "CHIRIKO!!" and nearly fell in herself (we could only wish), but Tamahome held her back. Amiboshi wasn't exactly smiling serenely in this scene, you might have already guessed. *takes deep breath* Okay, I'm done now. (I'm getting really bad about these long and irrelevant author's notes, aren't I?) Read on and escape the terror of Kaen's pointless (and not to mention _endless_) tangent! 

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Nijuusei

Chapter 5: A New Meeting

By Kaen

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Papers, papers, papers, and then, _more _papers. There seemed to be no end to them. Their imposing presence was always just a page turn away. She hated filling out papers, but she kept these thoughts to herself. After all, this information that she was giving would be helpful to the police in making the city slightly safer. Not much safer, but it would still help nonetheless. _I'm tired of being afraid_, she thought to herself, _and ashamed. I'm tired of being ashamed of what I did in the book, but I deserve this guilt, don't I? I brought it on myself_. She heaved a sigh and looked down, reading one of the last questions in the giant packet: "Please describe those involved in the crime."

Yui blinked and stared at the question. Describe? It had been dark that night, and rather difficult to see through watering eyes. She had been so scared- afraid that what she had been told had happened when she first arrived in Kutou was about to happen for real. She hadn't been brave enough to look any of them in the eye. Her decision to even come here had been impulsive and she hadn't thought ahead about the questions she would be required to answer. But there was no way that she could back out now, was there? Crap. Yui leaned back in the chair, her eyes absently scanning the ceiling. Could she describe them as butt ugly? Probably not… She drummed her fingers against the table, debating what she should do. She couldn't give inaccurate information, but what she knew probably wouldn't be enough to help anything. Was she always so useless? Just dead weight in the life of everyone she knew? She groaned in frustration. 

Subconsciously tilting her chair back, Yui found herself looking at anything remotely interesting. She really should be thinking about the event last night, but old memories were resurfacing and interfering with present thoughts. She picked up the pen off the table and twirled it with her fingers. 

"Is there a problem, miss?" asked the policeman who had shown her to the private room. Yui jumped in surprise, nearly falling out of chair. Flailing her arms, she managed to regain her balance and successfully landed all for legs of the chair on the floor. The policeman looked on in mild amusement. He had stopped just outside of the room in the hall to check on her and hadn't meant to startle her like that. Grinning slightly, the kindly cop apologized.

"It's fine. I was just a little surprised." Yui responded, still slightly ruffled. The policeman nodded in acknowledgement.

"Now, were you having any difficulty with any of the questions?" 

Yui was about to say no and turn him away, but she stopped herself. Surely there were people who only vaguely remembered a crime yet had still reported it, right? It was always worth a try…

"I can't clearly recall the physical assets of the group members. I'm just having trouble describing them…" Yui explained, smiling in an apologetic fashion. 

"Just do the best that you can. We might be able to match what little you may give with records from a previous report. What's important is that you write down what you know."

Yui was reassured at this answer and offered a quick 'thank you' before returning to the papers in front of her. The cop nodded again before turning and walking down the hall where he had come from. As he was walking, he couldn't help but wonder what this city was coming to. In just that day, he had dealt with a confused and helpless teenage boy and now a girl who had suffered two near-assaults. He shook his head as he walked down the impersonal hall, the heels of his boots clicking lightly against the white tile. Upon returning to his temporary workstation, the desk by the cells, he checked to make sure that everything was in order. While making a quick sweep of the large room, he was sure to check on that kid who he had brought in earlier that day. He appeared to be asleep and the police officer sighed, closing his light-blue eyes. He had just been hoping that someone would come and get this kid out, but the entire afternoon and evening had passed without so much as a phone call. Just by watching over this him, he was sure that he didn't belong there. Returning the desk, he once again picked up the newspaper and skimmed it for any articles he might have previously missed. Finding no such article, he settled on reading the comics. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kokuei panted heavily as he leaned again the cool streetlamp. His eyes were quickly surveying the area and he immediately knew that Yui was not there for partially hidden in the shadows was a gang from which gray cigarette smoke was rising. Kokuei cautiously got a little closed to the gang and recognized them almost instantly. Maybe some members of the group didn't look familiar, but the leader sure as hell did. The slicked back dark hair, the massive build, and beady eyes were unmistakable. In the back of his mind, Kokuei wondered how the guy could have stayed alive so long, given that he was constantly taking drug overdoses and drinking like there was no tomorrow. Keeping his distance, Kokuei began looking around the surrounding area for any signs of Yui. He was slightly disappointed when he couldn't find any, but his disappointment was outweighed by his thankfulness. That group didn't mean well and had even gone so far as to beating a kid nearly to death for their mere entertainment. Approaching the lecture hall, Kokuei stole a look inside, searching for the familiar dark blond hair. Satisfied that Yui was not there at the campus at all, Kokuei turned away and began to leave.

"Hey, little rich boy…" a slurred voice called out in his general direction. "Can't cha spare somethin' for the poor? Surely you's got somethin'…" 

Kokuei froze, slowly turning around to face the person who was speaking to him. It was _him_… Did he remember…? After ten years, did that guy remember…? Kokuei's eyes began to widen in panic as he stared in disbelief. One of the guys in the gang reached into his pocket and pulled out a switchblade, casually tossing it into the air and catching it. "So, ya gonna give it over easy or will ya put up a fight? Either way's fine with _us_." After this, he let out a sly and low laugh.

"I don't have anything." Kokuei explained shakily as he took a step back from the group. His breathing had quickened and he trembled slightly. It was then that it struck him that he really didn't have anything- he had left it all at that house! Groaning, Kokuei grimly noted that he was double-screwed. Damn it all.

"You really expect us ta believe that? You look like ya got plenty ta go around. Why don't you just cough it up and save yerself from a beating?" asked the leader lowly. They began to slowly advance as the subordinate who had spoken to Kokuei before flipped open his switchblade. 

That was it; Kokuei couldn't take it anymore. There was no way he could win against all those people and his only other option was to run. Fast.  And he did just that. Despite his previous running, he had found that fear for one's skin prevailed over physical exhaustion. Fortunately, Kokuei had the advantage of the dark night and 20-yard head start on the gang and that gave him more than enough space to easily loose them. They were probably too damn stoned to put up much of a chase after him, anyway. Ducking into a darkened alley several blocks away, Kokuei collapsed against the garbage bags and continued to pant. When they had said that they'd beat him, they weren't just talking tough. He knew they'd do it, he knew from personnel experience. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He had been eight years old when he had run into them that one night. He hadn't done anything to upset them, but apparently they were bored and needed something to kill time. They had scared him when he had been that little, especially the huge guy with the dark hair and eyes. Kokuei hadn't intended to even make them aware of his presence as he tried to pass through that alley to get to a restaurant's dumpster, but he had been sick again and had fallen into a coughing spell near the dumpster. This had immediately caught their attention and Kokuei had never been more terrified in his short life as when a sadistic grin crossed the bulky man's face. Kokuei had tried in vain to hide himself, but it was too late. Soon, that group had surrounded him, his back pressed against the wall. He squeezed his eyes shut with his mind of a child somehow believing that if he could not see them, he must be invisible to them. But the next thing he was aware of was the twisted laughter and the cold hand that gripped his neck, lifting him completely off his feet. He had kicked and struggled against the hold, but his protests were only met with pain. He had screamed for help, but those calls were never answered and soon more members of the gang joined in. In just a matter of minutes, he was hurt too badly to even move. When he had stopped responding to their hits, kicks, throws, and slices, the gang had lost interest in him and dropped him in the alley.  The sudden impact on his back caused him to launch into another coughing spell and he could do nothing but lay there as he watched the gang vanish into the night. He had seemed so sure that he would die that night; it was all he could expect as he was frozen with pain and his life was flowing out of him, carried by the streams of warm red blood. That night had been so cold- Kokuei still believed that the only thing that had kept him alive was the small fire that had been lit in the nearby metal trashcan. He had let his eyes rest on the dimly lit brick wall as the light from the fire flickered across it, casting shadows and designs that somehow managed to form the face of the man who'd just beat him for no reason other than that he was bored. He had watched it in a subtle and fearful fascination before drifting off to what he thought was going to be an endless slumber. 

What had surprised him the most about this run-in was the fact that he awoke the next morning, feeling terrible but still stronger than he had been the previous night and alive. Yes, he had been most shocked to find that he was alive. It seemed that even stranger to him that he was no longer bleeding and his injuries felt somehow braced, as if by cast and bandages that could be felt but not seen. That was the first time it had happened…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuei yawned. He was not only tired physically, but also tired mentally. He reclined against the garbage bags; curling himself into a ball to keep some of the warmth in. He fell asleep thinking of the phenomenon that had been happening to him ever since that day ten years ago. _Maybe it was my Guardian Angel_, he mused resignedly before drifting off to sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yui stretched as she stood from her chair, her pride evident in her smile. She had finally finished off the monstrous packet and for that she was very proud of herself. Letting her arms fall to her sides, she briefly wondered what she should do now. That man had left her alone after getting the essential information, but now she had to find him and give him all the stuff she had just filled out. Picking up the papers off the table, Yui made her way over to the door and looked down it in both directions, wondering which way to go. She really didn't want to have to talk to the rude cop up front who had directed her back here and her eyes scanned the halls for any signs of the preferred kinder one who had helped her with the papers. After a few seconds of waiting, neither appeared. Yui decided on trying to find the nice cop who had left towards the back of the building, rather than the front. She followed the long stark white hall to the back room, which had its door propped open with a plain brick. Stepping inside cautiously, she was relieved to find the cop sitting at his desk, apparently reading the comics in the newspaper. Muffling a giggle, she walked over to his desk while doing her best to ignore the fact that she was in the room that housed the cells.

"Excuse me," she said quietly and he lowered his newspaper, offering her a smile. She returned his smile and informed him that she had finished the packet.

"All right! Let's just make sure that you didn't forget anything before you leave, okay?" he asked as he placed his newspaper aside to take the papers from her hand. Yui nodded and walked around the desk so that she was looking over his shoulder as he skimmed over the information she had written. Yui heard a soft moan and some movement in a nearby cell, but she once again ignored it and focused on the documents.  

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hiashi groaned, his headache intensifying as he attempted movement. He pushed himself up off the bed, swinging his legs over to hang over the side of the makeshift bed. He felt like his head was going to explode. It was already pounding with stress and worry and the inference did seem plausible. Groaning again, Hiashi brought a hand to clutch his forehead in effort to sooth his raging migraine, but instead only proved to be effective in showing that he had a fever. _Great job, Hiashi_; he thought bitterly, _you've literally managed to worry yourself sick_.  It was then that he heard voices in the room. The first one he knew to be the voice of the cop that had escorted him, but the second one… it was a feminine voice- probably a girl in her late teens or so. Figuring that he had nothing better to do, Hiashi pushed himself completely off the bed. Standing wasn't as easy of a task as he would have hoped because the room began to swirl about him and all his vision registered was the pitch dark. Reaching out to the wall to steady himself, Hiashi waited for his balance and vision to return. After a minute or two, he felt stable enough to walk across the small cell and lean his hot forehead against the cold iron bars. He gripped a bar with his right hand, allowing the other hand to rest limply at his side as he observed the ongoing scene with mild curiosity.

There was a girl there who appeared to be checking over something with the cop. She had dark blond hair that fell to around her shoulders and, from what Hiashi could see, beautiful aqua-blue eyes. She was modestly dressed, clad in a white hooded sweatshirt/jacket, and somewhat baggy denim jeans. Hiashi found himself staring at her, taking interest in even the way she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. It looked like they were finishing up and Hiashi allowed his eyes to drift shut, listening vigilantly to the last strands of conversation.

"Thanks for coming in, Miss Hongo. We'll try to put this info to good use," said the cop. _So, her family name is Hongo…_ noted Hiashi.

"Yes, and thank you. I hope I've helped somehow." The girl replied.

"All right. Well, I'll presume you'll be leaving now if there isn't anything else?" There was a silence there after, but Hiashi could assume that the girl had nodded or offered some other gesture to confirm his notion. He could hear footsteps heading towards the door, but the stopped abruptly as a gasp escaped the girl. Hiashi opened his eyes quickly, but the situation was not clarified by this action for the girl was staring at him with wide eyes. Blinking, he stared back hoping that she would just turn and go, but instead she began walking towards his cell and stopped when she was just outside it.

"Kokuei?" she asked, her voice soft and benign.

"Huh? Sorry, but I'm not Kokuei. I think you're mistaken," was the answer that Hiashi offered the pretty girl. She furrowed her brow at this as she cast her eyes down in deep thought. Turning to the police officer who'd been watching her carefully, she asked, "What did he do, officer?"

"You know him, Miss Hongo?" Yui nodded, which sent Hiashi into total confusion.

All right, I guess it won't do any harm. He was caught stealing at a local convenience store."

"His first offense?" Yui inquired and the cop answered 'yes.' Yui looked thoughtfully at Hiashi and a small smile crossed her face.

"I'd like to bail him, if that's all right with you, Officer?" With this, Yui put on her best puppy eyes and sweetest smile. The officer faltered and Yui smirked on the inside at this response, but maintained her cute facade. 

"O-Of course! It'll be… be $75 for his first, and hopefully last, felony." 

"But-but… Hey! Hold on a-" Yui turned around quickly in order to quiet Hiashi's protests. She brought a finger to her lips and Hiashi noted the slightly alarmed look in her eyes. He was confused, but he could tell that she was here to help him. Even if he'd never seen her before in his entire life… He shook his head; it just didn't make sense and it was making his head hurt more.

"40…55… 60…65… 68…68…" Yui froze in her counting, checking the other pockets of her wallet for bills that might have eluded her. It was only then that she remembered how much she'd paid for the cab and she bit her lower lip to mute the swear echoing through her mind. She clutched the bills in her hand tightly, sorely disappointed at her own misjudgment. 

"75 it is, then!" exclaimed the officer cheerfully, his hand taking the $68 out of Yui's.

"But that's-" the officer shushed her and with a quick glance towards the door, he reached into his own wallet and pulled out the absent seven dollars. Giving her a reassuring wink, he put the money together on his desk and fished the keys out of a drawer. As he used one of them to open Hiashi's cell, both Yui and Kokuei stared in disbelief.

"He doesn't belong here, Miss Hongo. Please take him away," was all the answer the cop presented for his actions. He stepped aside and signaled Hiashi to step out. Hiashi was at a loss for words as he exited; casting perplexed looks at both Yui and the cop. _Why in the world are these people helping me? _The policeman had returned to his desk and was preparing Hiashi's file with the bail money. He looked at the two one last time as he raised a hand to wave goodbye. Yui bowed while Hiashi just stared, but he was snapped out of his daze by a tugging on his left hand. Yui had intertwined her fingers with his and Hiashi blushed a deep red.  

"I honestly can't believe you'd ever do that, _darling. _I mean, _really…_," exclaimed Yui, sounding for all the world like she and Hiashi were an item. She continued to carry on in a similar fashion until they had both stepped outside of the police station. Tugging him a safe distance away from the building, she finally let his hand go and began explaining.

"My name is Yui Hongo. The reason I helped you was because there is something I need your help with."

"Uh, I'm Hiashi Kagori. It's nice to meet you?" Hiashi held out his hand, but it somehow seemed a little ridiculous to be worrying about shaking hands now. Nonetheless, Yui had accepted it and said, "It's nice to finally meet you, Ami- I mean, Hiashi," she had begun to walk down the sidewalk as she tried to strike up some conversation, "So, care to explain what happened back there? You just don't seem like the kind of guy to shoplift."

"I really don't know, Miss Hongo. I had just walked into a 7-11, picked out the stuff I'd wanted, and was about to pay when this fat man cornered and accused me. I didn't even know what was going on until he called the cops and we all watched the security video camera. It was definitely me who stole the bread, but at the same time it wasn't. I didn't want to give anyone any trouble so I just went along with it and hoped my parents would come looking for me, but they didn't… Is this making any sense at all?"

Yui nodded, seeming to completely believe him, which surprised Hiashi. He was expecting him to at least say that he was lying or something to condemn him, but she had remained silent and patiently listen to his story. In Yui's mind, she was practically cracking up. Suboshi had stolen a loaf of bread, but his twin brother had taken the blame. The irony of it was just sickening, but she couldn't have been more amused.  Poor Amiboshi! Speaking of Ami- No _Hiashi_, he really didn't look too good. The flush on his cheeks wasn't just him blushing, no matter how adorable that was. She had also gotten the impression that he didn't feel like talking- whether that was a sour mood or something else entirely was still up in the air. They continued to walk along together in uncomfortable silence and Yui tucked her hands inside her sweatshirt/jacket to warm them.

"Hiashi, do you have enough money to take a cab home?" Yui asked, finally focusing on a logical topic. 

"No, I don't have any money anymore. I accidentally dropped it at that gas station and I didn't exactly get it back… It's looks like it's going to be a long walk," Hiashi forced a weak smile, but it only showed Yui that he really shouldn't have to stay out in the cold on a night like tonight. It was so cold out, and it was only 7:30!

"Perhaps I can pay for a taxi for you? It's getting so cold out and I couldn't bear the thought of you walking all the way home."

"You don't need to worry about it, Miss Yui. I'll be fine and besides, aren't you as broke as I am now? Ahh! And thank you very much for what you did back there! I'm so sorry! I'd forgotten to thank you, hadn't I? I'm sorry!" Yui laughed lightly at Hiashi's rapid apologies. He really acted quite differently than Suboshi ever did; it seemed strange that the two could have gotten along as well as they supposedly had. 

"You're quite welcome! And don't worry about money because my apartment is near here. I can get some more money from there. By the way, call me 'Yui.' 'Miss Yui' sounds so formal!" Yui scrunched up her nose, making a point of showing her dislike for the title. It was Hiashi's turn to laugh. He could tell right then that he and Yui would probably be good friends when this little adventure was over. Pushing aside these thoughts, Hiashi was preparing to refuse Yui's generous offer once again but Yui had beat him to it by bringing a finger to his lips and using her free hand to tug his towards the large building on their left. Hiashi pouted and Yui laughed again. What woman _wouldn't_ thing he was adorable? It was really too bad that she hadn't had him to confide in while she was in Kutou. She could have used a good friend and it might have made all the difference in everything…

"No more arguments, Hiashi. Besides, you look kind of feverish. Here, hold still." Yui brought a cool hand to his forehead and Hiashi lowered his eyes at the touch. After a few seconds, Yui announced that he was burning up and that he should come inside to sit down while she got the money. Remembering her "no more arguments" rule, Hiashi had agreed and followed her towards the entrance of the massive complex. Walking along, Hiashi began to ponder the situation. It seemed selfish to take even _more_ of Yui's money, especially since she had just bailed him form jail. But what was the point refusing a kind offer that he had in truth needed? And it's not like it was troublesome to be with Yui… He blushed, trying to shrug off that previous thought. Since when had he been so quick to feel so close to a girl? Stupid question, stupid answer- that answer was obviously being since he had met Yui, about ten minutes ago… What am I doing? I should be getting home now. My parent's will be worried for sure if they do finally call the station and I'm not there. _Why must I always live for someone else?_ an insistent voice asked him, the words echoing through his mind. As much as that thought had irritated him, he knew it was true. He hadn't lived for himself for as long as he could remember.

"Hiashi? Aren't you coming?" called Yui, holding open the glass door to the building for Hiashi. He hesitated for a second, but then nodded and hurried inside to make sure he didn't set off the alarm. That smile from Yui was more than enough to convince him that this once, _just_ this once, he should live for himself. And after all, every day is a new adventure. 

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Dum-da-dum-dum! Yes, I know that I'm evil. Please don't hurt me! I needed to get a plot in there somewhere! I hope you enjoyed this chapter because I just spent seven hours in front of my computer writing it! O.O Problems, ne? So… Guess what? I have a new fic! It's called "I've Been Waiting For You…" and I know it sounds like a creepy fic about a stalker, but it's really just a short fic about the friendship between Nuriko and Houki. It's not too boring, though. There's a reason I classified it as humor as well as general, so please, _please_ read it and review. It's my shot at anything humorous, so I need to know whether to write more like it or just boot it all together. Hm… I think this is about the 17th time I've listened to Futatsu no Kodou repetitively. You know it's getting to me when I parade around in one knee-high leather boot and one of my mother's loafers…  That's really all I have to say, so thanks for reading and please review! 

-Kaen ^^

Notes more important than the mindless ramblings above:

-Ai-chan, thanks for clearing up my translation difficulties! Here are there _accurate_ name meanings that I messed up: Shunkaku means "angle genius" and Kotoku means "high spirit of virtue." Their last name, Bu, means "warrior." (It all makes _sense_ now!) Thank you!

-Krissy, you are the best! If you're reading this, I'd just like to know that you have a permanent fan (there's no getting rid of me now! *maniacal laughter*) and that you have no idea how much I appreciate everything you've done for me! Thank you so much!


	6. A New Meeting

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! I hope it was worth the wait, because this took forever to think up! I even had assistance for this and it was still too difficult… four pages of outlining and the shortest part somehow became the longest… -_-&

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Nijuusei

Chapter 6: The Great Escape and Random Revelations

By Kaen

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"Ow! Why you… Ee! Dammit! Would you stop it?! You _will_ submit to me! Ah! How dare you… you are a LESSER species!!" Kokuei continued to yell mindlessly at his defiant enemy. Ironically enough, this very enemy had a death-grip on Kokuei's head and fought his taming weapon with silent opposition. Kokuei hissed through clenched teeth as he yanked mercilessly on the comb and finally succeeded in removing the stubborn knot. He whimpered slightly in the classic puppy-dog fashion as he smoothed the battlefield with his free hand, attempting to sooth his violated scalp. Growling a few other selected swear words, Kokuei finished combing his light brown hair and held the taming weapon up, observing it closely. It had lost three or four teeth in the previous battle, and it seemed pointless to return a ruined comb, so…

Kokuei clutched the towel around his waste tightly as he reached over for the new clothes he'd carefully placed on the counter. Upon finding the pants, he held open a big back pocket and placed the comb securely within. It's not like they would notice, anyway. When they find out that Kokuei's not "Hiashi," they're going to kick him out. He doubted that they'd notice a missing comb after an incident like that, but what if they make him return the clothes, too? Or charge him with posing as someone else? Or if they found out about the bread he stole? And then there was also taking advantage of someone else's resources that didn't help matters any… Kokuei found himself diligently fighting the urge to hide as he concentrated on his current situation.

Although he'd only been trying to comfort Hiashi's mother, it'd somehow turned out that he was now Hiashi. Kokuei was thankful for the apparently close resemblance between him and Hiashi because he was getting a free shower, new clothes, and a comb, but he was beginning to feel uneasy about playing this role. As each minute passed, he grew more and more paranoid that Hiashi would walk in the door any time now and Kokuei would be busted. Why was he even staying there, though? Hiashi's mother should have been able to tell the difference between some homeless kid and her beloved Hiashi. Maybe she just had really bad vision? She may have also been too distracted to clearly see him… Or maybe him and Hiashi just looked a lot alike? Come to think of it, it's been over half an hour and this "Hiashi" guy still hadn't shown up. Where the heck was he? Kokuei couldn't leave now without upsetting the woman who already looked so stressed out and tired and her presumed husband, but he couldn't exactly wait for Hiashi to come home either. 

He sighed heavily as he lifted his new clothing from the bathroom countertop. Placing the sweater aside for now, Kokuei unfolded the pants and blinked as another article of clothing fell out onto the floor. He stared at it, and then blushed. Apparently, Hiashi's mother had thought he'd need clean underwear. Boxers, to be precise. Staring at the boxers on the floor for another minute or so, Kokuei finally gathered the confidence to pick up the fallen garment. He observed the boxers a little while longer as he tried to decide what to do. Taking a stranger's clothes was one thing, but their _underwear_? But they _were_ definitely clean and he could use a change of clothes all-around…

He put the pants back down on the counter. Blushing an even deeper red than before, Kokuei squeezed his eyes shut as he dropped the towel around his waist and stepped quickly into the boxers. Completely this task, Kokuei hastily reached for the pants and pulled then on while skillfully avoiding the sight of his own reflection in the mirror. When the pants had been securely fastened, Kokuei picked up the towel on the floor and used it to collect the remaining water droplets in his hair. He then reached for the forest green sweater and pulled it on over his head. When he was fully dressed, Kokuei made a strange discovery. It seemed that Hiashi's clothes fit him well. Perfectly, actually. He was expecting there to be at least some discomfort in wearing a stranger's clothes, but they were _perfect_. Somehow, Kokuei was beginning to see why he was mistaken for Hiashi…

Pulling on his worn sneakers and gathering up his old clothes and prized bread, Kokuei unlocked the bathroom door, opened it, and made a mad dash for what he remembered to be Hiashi's room. When he had arrived without conflict in the room, he closed the door and locked it. The last thing he needed to be now was caught, but right up there with "caught" was hungry. He was reminded of his hunger that had long since been belittled to a dull ache through his abdomen when his stomach let out a weak growl. Kokuei permitted himself a small smile as he put his old clothes on the floor and sat down next to them, clutching his loaf of stolen bread. Without any thought to eating formalities, he snapped off the little yellow bread bag clip and began to happily munch on the first slice. It wasn't until several slices later that Kokuei even thought to check the time. With a piece still half-in, half-out of his mouth, he began to look curiously about for a clock or watch. 

Kokuei spotted a watch on a bedside table that was not yet accompanying a bed. He walked over to it curiously and picked it up with the gentleness of an archeologist handling an ancient relic. It was probably worth more than him, so he best not break it. Reading the tiny digits carefully, Kokuei's eyes widened as he inhaled the piece of bread that was currently shoved in his mouth. How could it be 5:18 already?! He coughed violently and hit his chest with his free hand, dislodging the food from his air passageway. Forgetting about the value the watch more that likely had, Kokuei dropped it back onto the nightstand and it landed with a defined "clunk." Hastily returning to his half-eaten loaf of bread, Kokuei resealed it with the yellow clip and wrapped it in his old clothes. 

Trying to recall where he was in relativity to Yui's campus, he realized that he would have to run to make it there in time. And it was at least eight miles away. Adding the likely factor of pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks, he was undoubtedly going to be late. Kokuei cringed at the thought of making Yui wait for him. The last thing he wanted was to come across as not caring enough to meet her in the place that he himself had arranged. What if she thought that he was rude and didn't want to see him again after making her wait like that? There was also only so long that Yui would wait for Kokuei so what if she left before he could get there? Somehow, neither of those two options seemed to fit Yui properly, but Kokuei was sure she wouldn't wait for him much longer than fifteen minutes for him, especially if she had to attend her class again that night. Subconsciously, he began to wonder whether it was even worth going…

Kokuei mentally kicked himself. Of course it was worth going! Anything for Yui was worth it. And there it was again! That unexplainable loyalty and devotion to Yui. Kokuei let out a short, low groan as he chewed his lower lip. Right now wasn't the time to be pondering what Yui would do. He would just have to get there and find out himself. Unlocking the door and yanking it open, Kokuei was prepared to run out of the house, but he stopped before he even could get started. He watched in despair as the woman, who had seemed so upset, cheerfully chatted with her husband as she carried boxes from room to room. Fortunately, she hadn't seen him before he could duck back into the room, but his sanctuary was just as much a prison. He had to get out so he could meet up with Yui, but there wasn't any way that he could "escape" without wrecking total havoc on the already unstable situation he was already in.

Kokuei took a deep breath as his eyes scanned the room for any possible means of exiting. His eyes fell on the window and he walked over to it with hopeful midnight blue eyes. The kindle of hope was quickly snuffed as Kokuei observed that the fire escape's latter had been broken away, approximately fifteen feet above the ground. He couldn't afford to attempt a jump like that with one arm injured and one arm occupied with holding his few possessions. But if he could drop the items first and then steady himself with that arm… Stealing another glance out the window, he also noticed that the bars that remained on the ladder were rusted and thin. Kokuei's negative signal was reconfirmed that it would be too risky to try anything like that. 

Maybe the ventilation system was precariously oversized and could fit him? Walking over to the metal vent in the wall, it was excruciatingly obvious that it wouldn't work either. Not unless he could compact himself to about six inches round… The fire escape really was his only option, unless, of course, he wanted to risk a real door. He agreed with himself that it'd be less painful that falling fifteen feet, so he'd just have to be stealthy and reach a door to the outside undetected. Peering around the corner cautiously, Kokuei decided that the coast was clear and ran out of the room, down the hall and past the room the lady was in, without her turning around. He had just opened the front door when a shocked, hurt voice rang from atop the steps.

"Hiashi! Where in the world are you going? You should have told me if you were going to go out! You know how I worry when I don't know where you are!" She exclaimed in the typical nagging mother fashion. Kokuei stopped in the doorway, his hand still wrapped loosely around the door's handle. Even under all those layers of motherly nagging, Kokuei could easily identify the worry and sadness in her voice. He could somehow sense tears forming in the woman's eyes and clenched his jaw tightly and stared hard at the concrete of the sidewalk, trying to keep himself from reacting.

Please, not again… Not ever again… Kokuei tore his gaze from the concrete as a shudder passed through his body. That voice… was that him? His conscience, maybe? Whoever they were, what did they mean about again? To the best of his recollection, he'd never posed as someone else before, so how could he have done something like this before? 

"Hiashi? Are you all right? You look a little pale… Come here and I'll check you're temperature." Hiashi's mother spoke to him, concern being the distinguishing characteristic in her voice. _She really seems to worry a lot, doesn't she? _Kokuei thought with a feeling of pity. He finally gave in to the woman's request and closed the door in front of him, laying his possessions down behind some boxes nearby. He turned around and then starting walking up the steps with his eyes downcast. Now she'd surely realize that he wasn't Hiashi and who knows what could happen. He marched up the steps as if they were leading to death row, and stopped two steps from the top of the flight. Hiashi's mother then turned and gestured him to follow her into another room, which Kokuei obediently did and stood silently in the middle of the room. She gave him a strange look when she sat down on the small sofa and he remained standing. Giving him another silent order with a pat of her hand on the space beside her, Kokuei became very tense. He stared for a second, but his logical reasoning was cut short as a heavy and sturdy hand clamped down on his shoulder. Jumping at the sudden intrusion, Kokuei whirled around and looked into the equally surprised face of a man. He was the lady's husband, and she had greeted him with a bright smile. He returned the grin and Kokuei took notice that he didn't look anything like either of them, and if he and Hiashi supposedly looked alike… 

"Hey, Hiashi! How's it going? I heard you had a bit of an incident. Care to explain?" asked Hiashi's father curiously, but he abruptly stopped questioning when he saw Kokuei's face better. His face contorted as he said, "You…" That was it. Kokuei was sure he'd been caught and squeezed his eyes shut, awaiting the yelling that was likely soon to follow. A cool hand across his forehead surprised him, and Kokuei opened his eyes quickly.  "You don't looks so good, Hiashi. White as a ghost! You should go lay down and rest. I'll go get you a blanket," announced Hiashi's father and Kokuei nearly fell over. Here he was, less than three feet away from Hiashi's own father and yet he still didn't realize Kokuei wasn't his son! It was too just much! What the heck is up with these people? Are they blind or something? Kokuei felt annoyance and confusion begin to get the better of him, and he found himself speaking without forethought.

"Don't you understand?! I'm _not_ Hiashi! I don't know how you can confuse me with him like that!" Kokuei snapped, but immediately wished he hadn't. If the temperature check hadn't done the trick, this surely must have. But instead of the startled gasps he was expecting, he was instead laughed at. It was a low chuckle at first, bit it soon rang out clearly and was joined by higher pitcher laughter. After several moments, Hiashi's father seemed to have composed himself to wheeze out, "You... never cease to surprise me, Hiashi! It seems that even in hard times, you can say something to add humor to our day. What a kid!" Kokuei was then embraced by Hiashi's father in a huge bear hug and he coughed as the air was forced from his lungs. He felt himself turning purplish and lightheaded, but he was released at that moment. He staggered on his feet, attempting to steady himself. He almost fell again when a heavy blanket was laid over his head, temporarily blinding him. Kokuei struggled with the blanket for a second or two before he could free himself and by the time that he did, Hiashi's parents were walking down the hall, hand-in-hand, still laughing together lightly about Kokuei's/Hiashi's "joke. "

Well, that was it. If he had told them twice that he wasn't Hiashi and they still didn't listen, so it was their own damn problem now. He wasn't trying to be funny and being laughed at didn't exactly make his day. He grumbled under his breath, but a huge yawn temporarily silenced him. He was still tired, but he pushed that feeling aside as he shrugged off the blanket and hastily searched for another method of escape. There was a possibility that the fire escape in this room wasn't as bad as the one he just saw and with that thought he strode over to the window. Checking it carefully for broken rungs or fifteen-foot drops, Kokuei was please to find that there was neither of these and wasted no time in opening the heavy window and removing the screen. As he was climbing out of the window and onto the outside ladder a little above a platform, Kokuei caught sight of a small, framed picture leaning against the wall. He stopped on the narrow ladder as he looked back inside, squinting in attempt to see the photograph. The picture was only a Polaroid snapshot, which made it difficult to see clearly from all the way across the room. From what he could tell it was three people and he couldn't distinguish much more than that. After a few seconds of unsuccessful squinting, Kokuei's curiosity got the better of him and he found himself climbing back inside. Not bothering to close the window, he walked quickly over to the photograph and picked it up while being careful not to get fingerprints on it. He easily recognized two of the people to be the man and woman who mistook him for their own son, but it was the third person in the photo that caused Kokuei's eyes to widen and breathing to shallow. It was like looking into a mirror… And for the first time, Kokuei understood Hiashi's parent's mistake.

He and Hiashi were practically identical. No, they WERE identical… Biting his tongue in apprehension, Kokuei silently prayed that it was just the angle, or possibly the lighting. _It must just be the lightning…_ Staring at the face identical to his own, Kokuei's mind began to dull as his eyes became large and unfocused. _How could there be someone who looked exactly like him? _In his distractedness, Kokuei unconsciously loosened his gripand the farmed photo picture and it slid from his hand, crashing onto the floor and shattering the glass. Kokuei watched, unable to do anything, as the glass rebounded and began to scatter in many different directions. Just them, Kokuei had the strangest though of the glass becoming shining blue water and joining into an endless blue abyss and he shook his head quickly to clear the mental image.

"Hiashi? Are you okay? We heard a crash…" called Hiashi's mother. Kokuei jumped at her voice. He had to get out of there now! Stealing one last glance at the now unprotected photo, he shuddered and ran to the open window.

"Hiashi? Is there something wrong? Hiashi?! Answer me please! Are you okay?!" Kokuei could hear footsteps approaching the room he was previously in as he climbed down the fire escape in record time. He jumped off the ladder when he was within six feet of the ground. An acute pain shot up his legs, but Kokuei ignored it as he took of at a dead run away from the house in the general direction of the campus. But was he running to Yui, or away from his own image that was reflected in the photograph…?

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Yui sighed as she checked her watch for the third time in two minutes. Kokuei was late. Twelve minutes, fourteen seconds, to be precise and it was getting dark out. Her class will start in three minutes, and this particular professor doesn't take well to those who interrupt her class. Yui bit her lip, suppressing a smile, as she remembered the last time someone had been disrespectful in his class. The professor hadn't wasted any time in spinning around from the chalkboard and hurtling the eraser at the offender. It had hit the culprit square in the forehead, sending chalk dust flying everywhere and completely coating his black T-shirt.  The class hadn't laughed for fear of their own safety and cleanliness, but Yui had heard many people gossiping on the way out. 

Yui's watched beeped, signifying that class had started. She had lost track of time! Yui turned to run to the lecture hall, but was stopped before she even got started. There was a group of people staring at her, watching every movement she made. They were all standing across the street from her, but in front of the hall nonetheless. She felt her heart rate jump as she remembered the previous night's episode and dimly noted that Kokuei, nor anyone else, was around. She took as step back and watched as perverse grins spread over their faces and they advanced as much as she had backed away. Her arms wrapped themselves protectively across her waist and bosom, but this just seemed to encourage them more. 

A bright light from the corner of her eye caught her attention and she nearly cried with relief. The bright yellow paint and rooftop ads were unmistakable and Yui frantically waved down the taxi. It stopped by the curbside and Yui wasted not time in climbing inside. Placing a hand over her racing heart, she leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes.

"So, where to?" asked the cab driver, with a strange accent as he began to drive away. Yui's eyes snapped open. She honestly hadn't thought about that… But why must she be so afraid? Was it because of what happened last night? Or maybe in Kutou…? She was tired of jumping at her own shadow…

"The Police Station, please." She said after a moment's pause, her decisiveness eminent in her voice. The cab driver nodded without any questions and began driving. Yui stared out the window. She just couldn't get used to how New York City could be so different from Tokyo. It seemed that wherever she went, someone was always staring at her. It scared her and she often went out in a hooded jacket. Shaking her head, Yui attempted to focus on a different subject. Ever since she had met Kokuei, she had constantly been trying to figure how he could be here. In her world, that is. There were so many mysteries she didn't, no, _couldn't _understand. 

Come to think of it, how had he managed to die twice? Had Seiryuu given Suboshi another body just so he could die again for her? Maybe Tenkou had given Suboshi a body? No, that didn't make any sense. Tenkou hadn't cared about Suboshi enough to revive him. But if it wasn't Suboshi's body, whose was it-… Yui gasped, her eyes filling with tears, as she realized what had really occurred that night. Suboshi hadn't sacrificed his own body twice; he was somehow using his identical brother's. She cupped a hand over her mouth, keeping herself silent as tears slid down her cheeks. Amiboshi dead? For her? She had never even met Amiboshi and he had allowed Suboshi to sacrifice Amiboshi's body to save her. She remembered that "Suboshi's" clothes looked unfamiliar that night, but had never paid it any heed. Until now, when her eyes were forced open. They were both dead, but with those deaths came the possibility of their rebirth. So Kokuei really _is_ Suboshi… 

This revelation brought about as many questions as it did answers, though. For instance, where was Amiboshi now? She'd definitely only met up with Suboshi's reincarnation, but for Suboshi to be alive, Amiboshi must have been born into this world as well.  But where? Could they have somehow been separated? What if Amiboshi's reincarnation still had his memories? When Tamahome had first been brought into her and Miaka's world, he had his memories, but Kokuei didn't seem to remember anything. If neither of the twins knew about their past lives, would it even be Yui's place to tell them? What if they did not want to know? What if they didn't even believe her if she told them? Yui sighed. There were too many damn questions and really no way to answer them. She felt the cab jerk and slow, finally stopping.

"We're here, miss," said the driver cheerfully. Yui nodded and leaned forward, reading the price displayed on the screen. She then opened the car door, stepped out and pulled her wallet out of her pocket, handing the driver twelve dollars; $9.76 to cover the cost and a two-dollar tip. He smiled at her generosity and as soon as she stepped away from the curb, he began to drive away. Yui looked up at the sign reading, "New York City Police Station," lit by two small spotlights. Returning her wallet to her pocket, she began to jog up the steps.  Upon reaching the top of the flight, Yui took a moment to re-establish her poise and breathing pattern and she rested her hand on the cool glass of the door to support herself. When she felt that she was ready to go in, she straightened herself up. Without a moment's hesitation, Yui took hold of the door's handle and walked confidently into the station. 

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Oi! Guess what? I have 19 reviews! Isn't that spiffy? I'm so happy! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far! I love you all! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out; I've actually been sick and then busy so I haven't had much time to write. I hope this chapter wasn't too much of a disappointment. By the way, there seems to be a little bit of confusion about this, so Kaen proudly presents… *drum roll* "The What-the-Heck-is-Going-On-Here Guide!" These is actually just a quick character and name review and also a little bit of a Fushigi Yugi history lesson, so go ahead and read on if you're interested. Thank you so much for reading and please let me know what you think (sorry about the boxers gag; I just had to…). By the way, I promise I'll have the last chapter out sooner than the time it took to write this one.

-Kaen ^^ 

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_"The What-the-Heck-is-Going-On-Here Guide!"_

_Names of Suboshi: _

_Bu Shunkaku_- This is Suboshi's birth name. He shares this last name with his brother, Amiboshi. Means something to the extent of genius or excellent and is also the word for a beautiful passage of literature in Japanese. Sometimes, I wonder about what Yu Watase was thinking when she chose this name for him… -_-&

_Otouto_- Japanese for "little brother." Used by Amiboshi when talking to or about Suboshi.

_Suboshi_- Celestial identification; one of the seven warriors of Seiryuu

_Psycho Yo-Yo Boy of Love- …_Must I explain? This is Suboshi we're talking about.

_'Kokuei_'-The name I selected for Suboshi in my fic! It means something like silhouette or dark shadow in Japanese.

Just an interesting tidbit of info: "Shukaku" means angle of light in Japanese. ^^

_Names of Amiboshi: _

_Bu Koutoku_- Once again, the birth name of Amiboshi. In Japanese, "Kotoku" means eminent virtue. I think his name makes more sense than his brother's does.

_Aniki/Niichan_- Japanese for "big brother." Used by Suboshi when talking to or about Amiboshi.

_Kai-Ka_- When Amiboshi was rescued from the river by the elderly couple who assume the position of his parents, he claimed to have lost all his memories. He didn't want to partake in the war anymore and he kept up this act until he met back up with his brother. He wanted Suboshi to stay with him and his caretakers so that they could live peacefully and gave Suboshi leaves of forgetfulness to help him. Suboshi had initially agreed, but at the last moment decided not to swallow the leaves because he felt he couldn't abandon Yui. Suboshi transferred the leaves back to Amiboshi through a kiss and instead Amiboshi forgot everything for real, and he lived peacefully with the elderly couple with no memories of his life beforehand. At some point in the OAV, Amiboshi  suddenly remembers Suboshi for no apparent reason and I spent way too much time trying to explain what happened. Sorry if this doesn't make much sense; it's just one of those things you'd have to see to fully understand! ^^

_"The Other Chiriko"-_ Amiboshi had fun pretending to be Chiriko of the Suzaku Seven and tried to make their heads explode. The real Chiriko showed up just in time and the ultimate result was a crispy fried Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho and a washed-out Amiboshi. (He fell into a river trying to escape) -_-&

_'Hiashi'_- The name I selected for Amiboshi in this fic. It basically means daytime or position of the sun in Japanese. I know, I'm a little off… 

_Nijuusei_­- Just in case you haven't guessed it, "Nijuusei" means double star in Japanese. Hiashi wishes on Nijuusei at the end of Chapter One. ^^

_Kaen_- My pen name! This name is actually Soi's real name and it means many things in Japanese. The definition I prefer means "flame or blaze," but it can also mean "flower garden" or "congratulatory banquet." I'm a really big fan of Soi, but my ultimate female idol from Fushigi Yugi is… Houki!! Yay!

(This author's note is over a page long… So much for a "short" history and name review. Does anyone else think it's odd that I should know all this? Yeah, I thought so… –Kaen ^^&)


	7. The Phone Call Home

Nijuusei

Chapter 7: The Phone Call Home (not to be confused with "E.T. Phone Home")

By Kaen

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"Sorry if it's a little messy. I wasn't expecting company anytime soon."

The key slid smoothly into the lock and unlocked the door with a soft click. The door then swung open as a girl's silhouette partially blocked the harsh light streaming in from the hall. Yui stepped inside the apartment and flipped on the light switch as she passed. Hiashi, who was still in awe of how huge the apartment complex was, followed her in. He was secretly thankful that Yui was there to lead the way because he surely would have gotten lost by himself. He watched as Yui kicked off her shoes towards the general area of the closet and walked over to a small sofa, removing her white sweatshirt jacket and draped it over the back. His eyes began to roam as he surveyed the room, presumably the living room.  It was adorned with two denim-blue sofas that formed a near-right angle, a wooden coffee table with a plant on it inside the two sofas, and in the corner that the sofas were facing there was a small television with a VCR. Off-white decorative curtains drooped gracefully from the large single window in the room, which had a similar view to his own window. Adjoining the living room was a kitchen consisting of the basics: a refrigerator, an oven, stove, microwave, and sink. All these furnishings were black and impersonal, obvious that they came with the room. All of which he had taken in he had expected, but he was slightly surprised that the apartment itself was fairly small, especially when considering how big the complex was.

"What? Is it that bad?" questioned Yui in a light voice. Hiashi turned to look at Yui, whose face was the image of mock-shame. Her beautiful cyan-blue eyes were shining and her lower lip was trembling. She stood before Hiashi, who was easily four or five inches taller, with her hands clasped together in an almost-prayer like fashion. Hiashi stared at her, not being quite sure what to do. And then an idea crossed his mind and a small smirk formed on his lips. He then took Yui's hands into his own and stared back at her with an equally mock-earnest expression.

"Yui, I'm sorry. I can't stay here because it's too messy. Even though I see no messes, it's too messy. I'm afraid I must decline all your generous offers, and walk the entire way home. Good-bye, Yui. It was the best fifteen minutes of my life."

With this, he released her hands and turned his back to her, raising his arm to suggest wiping away tears. Yui stared at him with a stunned look as he walked the three steps back to the open door, grasped the doorknob, and stopped in his tracks. His frame shock slightly and soon a soft, suppressed laugh could be heard as he turned back towards her. He couldn't believe she had actually fallen for that! Yui stood there for a few seconds and stared blankly at Hiashi, who was still paused by the door and laughing, and then the meaning sunk in. Her eyes narrowed.

"You… You… uhh…" Yui tried her best to come up with an intimidating insult, but the words wouldn't come as she gazed into Hiashi's eyes that were brightened with laughter. Shaking her head, Yui simply began to laugh herself. It was so stupid of her to fall for such an obvious prank. Still lightly laughing, she walked over to the door, passing by Hiashi, and closed it. Leaning back against it, she closed her eyes and her lips finally formulated the words: "Don't do that again," which were broken from her giggles. Hiashi acknowledged her order with a nod, hiding a sly grin. When Yui opened her eyes, she was startled to see Hiashi's gazing deeply into hers. A blush crept across her face as she felt a huge leap in her heartbeat. After a few uncomfortable seconds, Hiashi broke the eye contact and turned his face away in attempt to hide the blush that was searing his face as well. He felt bad for putting her on the spot like that, even if they were a couple feet apart. Turning away from Yui, Hiashi sat down on the floor and busied himself by taking of his shoes. 

"Uh… You can go ahead and sit down on the sofa. I think a little bit of rest would be good for you so why don't you do that while I find the cab money?" Yui said as she walked quickly to the open door adjoining the living to the right, opposite of the kitchen. 

"O-okay..." Hiashi stuttered, but Yui never heard him. She had already entered the room and closed the door behind her. He stared at the closed door for a minute before deciding to get up and go over to a sofa. Plopping down on it, he was taken aback at how comfortable it was and as soon as he stretched out on it, he soon found himself being lured off to sleep. Hiashi tried to fight his exhaustion, but as soon as he had begun his battle, he had already lost and sleep claimed his form.

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Yui hadn't even bothered to turn on a light as she closed the door to her room and stretched out on her unmade bed, letting her eyes drift shut. _Why did I act like that? It's not like his eyes are any different than Suboshi's… _A pained look crossed her features as a wave of guilt washed over her. _I had never looked into Suboshi's eyes like that. I was to busy forcing myself to be miserable and pushing him away. Kokuei, I'm sorry, but would you even understand why I'm apologizing? Do you remember me? Gods, I remember you, but is it my place to tell you? Would you and your brother be happy not knowing? _Sighing heavily, Yui opened her eyes and observed with mild perplexity the dim red-tinted light that flashed in even intervals across her ceiling. Creasing her brow, she rolled onto her side and found the source of the light. The phone on her nightstand had a message. _How strange… I never get phone calls… _Extending her arm, she lazily searched for the button on the answering machine and pressed it, dropping her arm almost immediately afterward back onto the bed. 

"Friday, August 2, 6:13 P.M.: 'Hey, Yui-chan! It's Miaka! How are you over there? I hope everything's all right. Guess what? I have the best news! Well, I really wanted to tell you this in person, but I'm going to have a baby! Isn't that wonderful! Taka and I are so happy! Please call me as soon as you get this message, okay? I can't wait to hear from you! Bye!'"

Baby? Miaka and Taka… a baby? I smile spread across Yui's face. She was so happy for them! So, this is what happens when I leave Tokyo for a couple of months, eh? I can't believe it! I wish I were there to celebrate with them!

With these thoughts in mind, Yui sat up and lifted the phone off the receiver and hastily dialed the international phone number to Miaka's house. Yui fidgeted with the phone cord, hoping against hope that Miaka would be home. One ring… Two rings… Yui took in a deep breath… Three rings… What if there's no one home?

"Hello?" a girl's voice asked, though it was muffled and sounded more like 'heh-woo.' Yui immediately knew who it was.

"Miaka-chan! I just got your message! Congratulations!"  Yui was going to continue, but violent coughing made her falter. "Miaka? Are you all right?" 

From somewhere in the background, Yui heard: "Miaka! You idiot! You should know better than to answer the phone while you're eating! Especially when you're stuffing yourself more than usual!" She grinned. She knew exactly what had just happened. She then heard some scuffling and a few shouts, eventually ending with a man's voice asking: "Hello?"

"Keisuke? Is that you? This is Yui-"

"Yui? Hi! How are you? How is everything? Man, you wouldn't believe how much we all miss you over here, especially Miaka! By the way, did you know that she's pregnant? Aw man, I can't believe it! I think our mom's gonna have a cow! I mean, first Miaka drops out of the high school Mom had wanted her to go to when she actually could have graduated, then she gets married, and now she's going to have a kid! Is that insane or what?! Wait a minute- my sister… is pregnant… That means I'm going to be an uncle! Holy crap! Can you believe-"

"Keisuke!"

"Yes?"

"Breathe, please."

"Uh... yes, Yui. We're all just really excited about all this. We really wish you could be here, all of us." 

Yui frowned. She knew what he was implying when he had reinforced "all of us." She and Tetsuya had been going out when she had had to move and after a month of being separated they both just decided it was too difficult to maintain such a long-distance relationship and had called it off. She hadn't wanted to break up with him, but it was so impractical to ask the other to stay loyal when they were literally on opposite sides of the world. She sighed into the phone.

"Yui? Is there something wrong? Oh, I'm sorry! I hadn't meant to get you worked up over Tetsuya. It's just that everyone, including him, really misses you. It's just not the same without our Yui-chan, you know?"

Yui nodded, but Keisuke obviously couldn't see it. She decided to change the subject. After all, she'd called to congratulate Miaka and Taka and possibly tell them about… No, not yet…  "Keisuke? Could I please talk to Miaka or Taka? Don't get me wrong- it was nice to talk to you, too, but the phone bill gets really high when I make these international calls and I really just wanted to congratulate the two of them. I hope you understand…"

"No problem, Yui! It was great talking to you again. All right, let me get them…"

"Thanks, Keisuke. I-" Whump! Yui abruptly fell silent and looked to her closed bedroom door. What in the world was that? Blinking in mild bewilderment, she cast her eyes back down to the dark bedroom floor and tried not to think about it as she waited for Miaka or Taka to pick up the phone.

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Mmmm… so warm… and comfy… yes, very comfy…A contented little smile formed on Hiashi's lips as he enjoyed his luxurious catnap. Sighing, he lazily turned slightly onto his side. Finding that position uncomfortable, he turned some more. Being even less uncomfortable than before, Hiashi continued turning until finally… Whump!

Hiashi awoke with a start and briefly wondered why the entire kitchen appeared to be precariously balanced on the ceiling.  How strange… Maybe I should go tell Yui that her kitchen is on the ceiling… wait a minute! Hiashi then ever so gracefully removed his legs from the sofa where they had been elevated well above his head and placed them firmly on the real floor. Pushing himself up with the help of the coffee table, he eyes the sofa warily. It had been so comfy, but now it had lost his trust. Hiashi decided it would be best to stay awake since he was waiting for Yui so he straightened up and stretched, coaxing his body into waking up. I wonder where Yui went? She did just say that she was going to root up some money for me to borrow, right? Have I even thanked her for all this yet? Letting his gaze rest on the door, he decided that he should tell you 'thank you' and that he should be getting home soon. It was getting late and his parents would be worried. Not to mention that he'd never been alone with a girl so late a night… A crimson blush flushed over his cheeks at the thought. It wasn't like him to have such… creative… ideas. I should just tell her 'thank you' and be ready to go.  With this plan, he slowly approached her bedroom door and was about to know on it when he heard her talking to someone. Hiashi figured that it was a phone call and decided to wait until she was off because it would only be polite to do such. Sitting down on the floor, he leaned up against the wall by her door and patiently waited for her to finish.

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"Yui-chan?" inquired the voice on the other end of the line. Yui's scowl at the floor brightened into a wide grin at the sound of her best friend's voice.

"Miaka-chan! I can't believe that you're going to have a baby! I'm so happy for you and Taka!" said Yui cheerfully and a laugh could be heard from Miaka.

"Thanks, Yui-chan! We're very happy, too! I wish you could talk to Taka, too, but he's not here at the moment."

"Out getting food?" questioned Yui, mischief evident in her voice.

"How'd you ever guess? But yeah! Ever since I've been pregnant, he's been getting me anything and everything I want! I think I should get pregnant more often, ne?"  With this, Miaka let out a short, good-natured laugh which Yui shortly joined in on. "I can't tell you how good it is to hear from you, Yui-chan, but we've only really talked about me! How are things over there with you?"

Yui paused. Should she tell Miaka that she'd found the twins? She was sure Miaka would be happy to hear about Amiboshi, but Suboshi…? 

"Yui-chan? Are you there?" 

She sighed again. Better now than later, Yui decided as she took a deep breath.

"Miaka-chan, I have some interesting news. Would you like to hear?" Secretly, Yui was praying that Taka would get back and that Miaka would have to go, but no such luck.

"Sure! I'd love to hear about anything that's going on in your life! Please do tell!" came Miaka's ecstatic reply. Yui sighed for the third time. Here goes nothing…

"I met a couple of guys, one yesterday and one tonight. They're both really nice to me- one's actually over right now." Yui stalled, purposely avoiding the real news. 

"Ooohh! Yui-chan's got a crush on two guys at once! Am I right? Tell me about them!"

Too late to say 'forget about it' now…

"You know those two guys I mentioned, right?" said Yui, still stalling. She was twiddling the phone cord nervously between two fingers while the other hands clutched a fistful of blankets.

"Yes. And…?" Yui could hear the anxiousness building in Miaka's voice. Better get this over with, thought Yui as she took in a huge breath of air and began.

"WellthesetwoguysaretheincarnateSuboshiandAmiboshiandIsortalikebothofthemandIdontknowhattodonow!" explained Yui frantically, although it probably did more to confuse than clarify. There was a long silence from Miaka's end of the line and then the response came.

"Yui-chan, slow down and say that again because what I heard was probably not what you said," suggested Miaka quietly. Yui squeezed her eyes shut and her hands clenched the blankets until her knuckles turned white. Taking one last breath, she began to whisper what she had tried to elucidate before.

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Hiashi kneeled outside of Yui's door, his ear pressed to it. He had braced his hands up against the door and his eyes were averted away from it, gazing at the ceiling in the most curious fashion. What language was Yui speaking in? It sounded familiar, almost like what his mother would utter in occasionally when she was upset, which was Japanese. His mother was half-Japanese and she had been raised learning the language, which was practically fluent for her now. She had taught Hiashi a little bit of the language, enough to get around with, but he didn't know nearly as much as his mother yet. Hiashi brought one hand from the door to scratch in itch on his forehead. So, Yui speaks Japanese? I would have guessed English was her first language simply because she speaks it so well! He smiled in a newfound admiration for Yui. Not only was she beautiful, but also very smart.

It was just about then that Hiashi realized exactly what he was doing. Although he wasn't eavesdropping, it sure looked like it and, flustered, pushed himself away from the door. Loosing his balance from moving so quickly in a crouching position, he lost his balance and landed square on his butt. Groaning at the impact, Hiashi brought a hand down to rub his sore tooshie as he glared accusingly at the door. Yes, it's entirely the door's fault! How dare it! 

As he was picking himself up of the floor and still glaring at the door, Hiashi's ears caught sound of the words "suboshi" and "amiboshi" amidst a longwinded bundle of other words. Those particular words had somehow caught his attention, but he couldn't relate them to anything and quickly dismissed them from his mind with a shake of his head. Turning back to the sofa, Hiashi determined that it would be best to just wait for Yui to come out her own. He just knew that implacable déjà vu was going to drive him insane if he continued to listen much longer.

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"I've found both Suboshi and Amiboshi over here. It seems that, somehow, they've been reincarnated and they don't know about each other. I'm going to try to reunite them, but I don't know if it's for the best," whispered Yui, being barely audible even though the phone was held right up to her lips. 

There was a long silence before Miaka replied, "I think that there was a little bit more that you left out from the last time you said that, Yui-chan…"

Another silence followed and then Yui finally incorporated the last part of her announcement.

"Miaka, I think I have feelings for both of them. I'm almost certain that they both feel the same way about me that I do them, but I know that I'll have to choose between them and I don't want to have to do that. I'm just so confused. I've known Suboshi since we were in the book and he did die for me twice, but something about Amiboshi is so endearing to me. I just feel guilty about the path my own heart is taking and I can't do anything to stop it or shut myself away from it… I'm sorry; I'm just confused right now. I should get some sleep and sort out everything in the morning, ne?"

"Yui-chan…Hmph… Yes, you should do just that. Get a good night's sleep and I'm sure everything will be better when you wake up. Oh! It looks like Taka is back! Well, I really should go now! You need your sleep and I'm absolutely starving!"

"Wait, Miaka-chan, before you go…" 

"Yes?"

Yui knew better than to get between Miaka and her food and she smiled as she quickly got to the point. "Thank you for listening to me; for being there for me. I had just wanted to congratulations to you and Taka, so please tell him that for me, all right?"

"No problem, Yui-chan! And you're still my best friend! Thank you for calling and I'll talk to you later, okay?" came Miaka's chipper reply.

"Sure! Well, bye for now!" Yui exclaimed, the sadness on her face masked by the cheerfulness of her voice.

"Bye!"

With that, there was a click and the line went silent. Sighing and trying to fight the growing sadness, Yui glanced impulsively at her clock and her eyes widened in surprise. Had it really been twenty minutes? How rude to keep Hiashi waiting that long! Quickly standing up from the bed, Yui turned on the lamp on her nightstand and pulled open the top drawer. After rummaging around for a few seconds, Yui successfully pulled a twenty-dollar bill from the mess and straightened it out using her hands. Upon releasing on of its sides, it rebounded back to its original crinkled form. Shirking off is insubordination and tucking it safely into her pocket, she reached over and turned off the lamp and made her way back over to the door, miraculously avoiding any hazards to life and limb. Yui turned the doorknob and yanked open the door, muttering a quick apology to Hiashi as she strode over the sofa where she'd placed her jacket. 

"It's fine," replied Hiashi as he stood from the sofa and stretched again. He watched her pull on the sweatshirt/jacket, concealing her shapely form, and then found himself blushing again. Yui, however, didn't seem to notice this as she grabbed the apartment key off the table and offered him an apologetic smile. They both stood and walked over to the door where they retied their shoes.

"Shall we go, then?" Yui asked simply as she stood, reached for the front door, and opened it. Hiashi nodded as he rose to his feet as well, slightly astonished at her sudden haste. She held the door open for him as he stepped back into the harshly lit hall. Squinting his eyes, they roamed from left to right. He had forgotten how to get out of this place already! He heard Yui close and lock the door behind them, and them stifled a giggle as she noticed Hiashi's helplessness. 

"This way," she stated as she gently tugged on his arm, pulling him to the left. He had expected her to release his arm as soon as he was heading in the correct direction, but she instead held on. Yui had actually tightened her hold by slipping her arm through the handle made by his. Hiashi's eyes widened, but he decided he didn't mind this contact. It felt good to know that she trusted him enough to do something like that without hesitation.

In two or three minutes, the two had at last reached the main level. Hiashi had enjoyed the companionable silence that had enveloped him and Yui while they had been walking and he had expected her to stop when they reached the doors, but she had continued to with him outside, which he had courteously held the door for her to. Breaking their link as she passed, Yui gave Hiashi a small gracious grin and stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets. It was obvious that something else was on her mind and that she didn't feel like talking, so Hiashi complied with this silent request and continued to walk alongside her in silence. It stayed like this for several minutes until they had finally reached a busier street, in which Yui then turned to face Hiashi. 

"Here you go, Hiashi," Yui said as she pulled the bill out of her pocket and held it out to Hiashi. He nodded and accepted it, but a question soon arose in his mind.

"Thank you Yui, but hadn't you said, when you bailed me from jail, that there was something that you needed my help with?" questioned Hiashi, his eyes wide with concern. It was Yui's turn to nod as she said,

"That's right. I had said that, hadn't I? Hold on one second, okay?" with this, Yui pulled a small piece of paper from a pants pocket and a pen from another. "What's you phone number? I'm going to need to call you later to make arrangements."

"Uh… I still don't know it yet. I'm sorry! Maybe it would be better if I called you?" he offered, embarrassment hinting in his voice.

"Don't worry about it! You don't need to be so uptight around me, you know! Now, let me write it down." Yui began to write, as neatly as possible, on the lone scrap of paper. When she was done, she held it out to Hiashi while instructing, "You need to call me tomorrow. It's very, very important so please try not to forget, okay?"

"Of course! No problem, but before that…" Hiashi's voice dropped as his face reddened again, "Could we maybe get together tomorrow or sometime soon?" Immediately after squeaking that out, Hiashi distracted his eyes by looking at the street, the sidewalk, basically anything but Yui's face. He didn't see Yui's eyes widen and her features soften. She then used her right hand to reach up and touch Hiashi's chin and gently tilt his head back up so that he was looking directly at her.

After a moment of this shy eye contact, Yui answered, "I'd love to go out with you sometime, Hiashi, and I think tomorrow would be fine for me."

"R-really?" he stuttered as he lost himself in her gorgeous sea-blue eyes. She smiled reassuringly and nodded again. A grin spread across Hiashi's face as he wrapped her into a loose, gentle hug. "Thank you, Yui. I'll be sure to call you tomorrow with the news. Thank you!"

With this last expression of gratitude, Hiashi released Yui from the circle of his arms and virtually skipped to the curbside. Signaling for a taxi, Hiashi turned around and waved energetically at Yui. Yui giggled as she shyly waved good-bye to Hiashi and he beamed at her before climbing into the cab. He was still waving good-bye as the cab blended into the busy street. As soon as he was completely out of sight, the grin Yui had previously been sporting faded into a melancholy, nearly inexistent, smile. It wouldn't be hard to fall in love with Hiashi. In fact, I think it has already happened… thought Yui as she wrapped her arms around herself in attempt to relive Hiashi's hug. But what about Kokuei? I've loved him for longer than he'd even be aware of and I couldn't just abandon my feelings for him, could I? Dropping her arms from around herself, Yui began to walk back to the apartment complex, completely lost in her own thoughts.

"Yui!" a voice called out to her from a dark alley. She jumped at the sound and unconsciously took a step back, preparing to flee if need be.

"It's all right! Don't run. Just hold on a sec, okay?"

Yui clutched her hands over her heart and took another step back just in case as she heard some clattering as the figure made its way towards her. The silhouette finally emerged to where she could see the person completely and she gasped, her eyes widening in surprise and guilt.

"K-Kokuei!"

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And Kaen does cliffhangers… Please don't hate me for it! Like I've stated in my other two fics, I'm experimenting with different writing styles and cliffhangers are just one type on the list. Who knows? Maybe I'll get really at it and I'll do it in _every_ chapter… So, who here would despise me for doing that? I know I'd hate myself, so I'm probably not going to. Anyways, this is going to be the first (and possibly last) chapter preview I'll ever give (even if this is very vague): Just expect fluff, lots of fluff. Even though I can't write fluff, we've all got to learn somehow. ^^& I think I'm okay at it now, but it's not between the characters you all want to see, right? I'm sorry; cute scenes just come some _naturally_ between those two. Oi, I don't even know what's going to happen anymore! O.o Oh well, your support in the form of reviews keeps the chapters coming so please review! Remember, I still love to hear ideas for the fics or suggestions for improving my writing style. Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing! I really appreciate it!

-Kaen ^^

More Rambling:

-Cliffhanger idea compliments of Catrina Winner, author of "The Scent of Despair." Now, go read it! Even if you don't like Inu-Yasha, read it anyway because it's very, very god!

-I didn't exactly know how to write Miaka and Yui's phone conversation, given that it was supposedly in Japanese. ^^& Since I don't know Japanese, I incorporated as little "fanfic" terminology as possible, sticking only to "chan." Please bear with me; I really am trying! By the way, Yui is using her knowledge of the English language in this story. (Thanks to Krissy for pointing that out _way_ back when…^^)

-I have another new fic! It's called "Running Away" and it's really sad, so R&R if you can find the kindness in you heart! It's my first deathfic and it's about Suboshi's thoughts on Yui as he's dying. It's very sad and I still can't believe I wrote it! T_T

-Taka…. I hate that name… Miaka and Taka… It sounds like something you could order from Taco Bell. "Yeah, I'd like a Taka with a side of Miaka, please…" Gah! I hate it! And have you ever noticed that "taka" is also the sequence of Tomo's cackle? "Takakakaka…" Yep, leave it to Kaen to point out the most random facts. 

-Current insecurities: Can I write humor? Can I write fluff? O.O


	8. Moving In...

Nijuusei

Chapter 8: Moving In…

By Kaen

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*stars in eyes* _65_ reviews…? Could that be right…? Yay! I'm so happy!!  Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing; it really means so much to me. -^^- Like I promised would be in this chapter, I finally got around to the fluff. Well, not _yet_, but that's simply because you most likely haven't read the chapter yet! ^^& This chapter is the one that I know everyone's been waiting for, that of course being the first Yui/Kokuei chapter! Yay! I actually got mad at myself for writing so much Yui/Hiashi stuff that I contemplated flaming myself. You have no idea how long _I've_ been waiting to get around to this chapter and so I'm very proud of myself for writing it. It's about time, ne? Well, I'll stop rambling and let you read now. Thanks and please review!

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"K-Kokuei!" Yui exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock. Even though Kokuei was still mostly obscured by heavy shadows, and sincere smile could be seen etching itself across his face. 

"Yui! I'm glad I found you! Did you see those guys around the campus? I was so worried about you!" said Kokuei as he stepped out of the dark alleyway and into her clear view. "I'm sorry I couldn't meet you on time; I really am! I was held up…"

Yui studied his face curiously as he trailed off at his last sentence. It was unlike Suboshi to leave something unsaid, and come to think of it, he did seem to be a little different from the last time she saw him… But, what was it? Yui tilted her head to the side a assessed him from head to foot… Was it…? After a long pause, she finally figured it out. 

Vaguely gesturing towards Kokuei's new clothes, Yui hesitantly asked him, "When did you get those? They look new… but they look very nice! You look very handsome…"

Even in the dim light, a distinct blush could be seen spreading across Kokuei's face. He bit his lower lip as he looked down, futilely trying to hide his reaction to her compliment. Yui giggled as she added another point to her score: _Yui: 2, Twins: 1. _ 

"What's so funny?" demanded Kokuei, his narrowed dark-blue eyes contradicting his blushing face. This sight made Yui laugh harder and Kokuei finally gave up on trying to figure out what was so funny. Shrugging, he walked closer to her and stood there until Yui's laugher began to subside in an almost protective fashion. Wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, she squeaked out, "It's nothing. It's only that… well, you just look cute!" 

The blunt reply caused took Kokuei by surprise and he blushed harder. As soon as Yui realized what she had said, she felt nearly equally mortified and quickly diverted her eyes away from him. _Kokuei doesn't know me as well as Suboshi did… He could be different now, but… he sure doesn't seem much different. I shouldn't regard them as the same person… _A cold wind broke her thoughts as she shivered. It was getting colder already and it had only been a few minutes! Hugging herself tightly, she flashed Kokuei an apologetic grin.

"Kokuei, it was great to see you and to know that you're all right, but it's really quite cold out here and it's getting late. Maybe we could continue this later on, in the daytime and when it's not so cold! After all, it would be best if we could both get home where it's warm."

Kokuei listened intently to Yui's suggestion, his eyes dropping in shame at the last sentence. "Yeah, good idea…" She had said the "h word" that he hated, yet loved at the same time. Yui noted his sudden change in attitude and could almost feel her heart breaking at his miserable expression. It almost looked like he was going to cry…

"Kokuei? What's wrong?" asked Yui softly, taking a step closer to him. "Did I do something to upset you? I'm so sorry if I did-"

"No! It's not that!" reassured Kokuei hurriedly, forcing a smile in attempt to prove his point, "You're right, Yui. You should get home. It is very cold, so you should get inside and I'll just see you later, okay?"

With this said, Kokuei began to turn and tried to walk away back into the alley, but Yui grabbed his wrist and held it tightly as Kokuei's eyes widened in surprise and he turned back towards Yui. 

"Wait for just a second, Kokuei… Please?" Yui pleaded, still not releasing his wrist. He stared at her for a moment before nodding and tugging lightly away from her grip. She complied, only to have Kokuei capture her own hand in one of his. She gasped and looked up into his intense dark-blue eyes, which were asking the silent question "why?"

"Where are you going to go?" inquired Yui, her brow creased slightly in concern. He once again looked away from her, but this time, he did give her the answer she had requested. 

Making a soft noise, Kokuei shrugged and stated casually, " I don't know, really. The soup kitchen might still be open so I could stay inside there for a little while and get some food and after that…" he chewed his lower lip thoughtfully, "I don't know where I'll go after that. At least it's warm in there, right?" 

Yui stared at Kokuei in utter astonishment. _He's homeless? How could he be, when Hiashi isn't? Homeless and alone on a frigid night like tonight…  _ Bringing a trembling hand to cover her mouth, Yui battled the tears that were threatening to spill over. As hard as she tried not to cry, she couldn't help but feel an unbearably heavy sense of pity for her former seishi. _Suboshi wouldn't want me to feel sorry for him…_Noticing Yui's silence, Kokuei forced himself to look at her face, terrified that he'd see her disgust with his predicament. But he was completely taken aback to see her eyes shining with of sympathy and… something else he couldn't place. And was she… crying? Crying for him? Had he made her cry? Pulling her into a tight embrace, Kokuei began to rapidly apologize.

"Yui, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to upset you! I didn't want to tell you because I thought that you'd hate me if you knew. I mean, you're smart and beautiful and aren't out on the streets, but I'm not any of those things! I was afraid that you'd hate me if you knew… Most people do. I wouldn't be offended if you just want to leave now and never want to see me again. I know I don't even deserve to be around you, but I would feel so much better if you could forgive me before I never see you again. Please… I'm so sorry!"

Yui stared blankly in disbelief as Kokuei apologized for being poor. It couldn't have been his fault, could it have been? Did he truly feel guilty about being homeless? Her tears began to fall and she hugged Kokuei back more tightly than he had even dared to embrace her. She merely clung to him, barely believing that a person was given a second chance at life just so that they could live in absolute misery. Yui scowled through her tears. Wasn't there something she could do? She drummed her fingers on Kokuei's back.

"Yui? What's wrong? I'm sorry if I upset you, I truly am. Maybe I should go now?" questioned Kokuei, releasing her smaller form from his arms, but she didn't let go. Kokuei was taken aback at her reluctance to separate from him and was about to ask her his previous question, but she cut him off.

"Kokuei? Are you homeless?" she asked earnestly, pulling back just enough to be able gaze into his stunning blue eyes. She could feel herself begin to lose herself in them and was grateful that Kokuei began speaking when he did.

"I have been for a long time…" came Kokuei's meek reply, his embarrassment causing his gaze to stray again. He didn't notice as Yui eyed him thoughtfully. _Could I…? No, that would be impossible… he wouldn't accept that, but them again… Knowing Suboshi… _Kokuei held his breath as he bit down on his lower lip. _But he also IS homeless and it's so cold out. I'm sure winter will be even worse… Ah, what the hell? Just ask him!_

"Kokuei?" 

His eyes snapped back to look at her, seeming a little ruffled at her sudden response. "Y-yeah?" 

"I would like you to live with me." Yui stated flatly, dawning a serious expression to match. Regardless of whether or not Kokuei was eating anything, he began to choke. Yui watched with him mild amusement, praying that he would accept. After a good minute of coughing, he managed to compose himself and squeak out, "L-live with you? Did I hear you wrong?"

"No, that's right. I would like you to share an apartment with me, at least for the winter!" she pleaded, "Please? I just don't want you to be out in the cold, without food or even a place to sleep!"

Kokuei stared at her with huge, confused eyes. So, he had heard her correctly? But why would she be so… generous? It didn't make sense. He had only just met her yesterday, after all! What in the world made her so sure that she could trust him? Deciding to speak his mind, he asked, "Yui, why do you trust me so much?" 

Yui froze at the question. How could she answer that? She couldn't really just say that she had known him in his past life, could she? It was almost as crazy as what she had just asked him. If she kept it up, he'd think she was insane! Answering in the best way she could, she pulled him close and pressed a light kiss to his lips. Pulling away quickly, she looked into his eyes and replied, "Because I care about and I know that you'd never do anything to hurt me. Now, please?"

Kokuei stared at her with wide eyes. Had she really…? Did she…? Was that…? The blush rushed back to stain his cheeks a deep red. She considered _that_ an answer?! Realizing that she was awaiting his reply, he stuttered out, "But-but… I couldn't, could I? I mean, it sounds nice and all, but…"

"But what?"

"It's just that you hardly know me and yet…"

"What is it?" questioned Yui, hiding the growing impatience from her voice. 

He sighed. It was an incredible offer that he wanted to accept, but wouldn't that be imposing way too much on Yui's life? But she _had_ asked _him_… Not to mention that she was making a show of her best puppy eyes. _She must have had practice to pull it off that well… Why? Why must she make puppy eyes?! No… _Kokuei could feel his resolve weakening and he soon just gave up. Sighing once again in defeat, he breathed out, "All right. I accept. Thank you." 

"Great!" Yui squealed as she clasped her hands together, grinning widely. Kokuei eyed her warily. Was she really _that_ pleased with herself? He blinked at the sensation of fingers intertwining with his own. 

"Well, let's go then!" Yui chirped as she tugged on his hand, giving him a reassuring grin. Kokuei blush returned as he nodded, doing his best to ignore his mixed emotions. An almost whimper-like noise escaped him as he took notice of how tightly Yui had trapped his hand. It wasn't an iron grip, but it was enough to tell him that there wasn't any escape now. He walked with her in silence, looking much like a prisoner being led to his death and unfortunately for Kokuei, Yui had noticed his tenseness, but being to cold to think anything of it, she continued to drag her captive to the apartment complex without even mentioning her observation. This was certainly insanely generous on her part, _And may God help him if he utters one word of prote_st, thought Yui as she smiled smugly to herself. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" exclaimed Hiashi as he stepped inside through the front door, closing it behind him. 

"Hiashi! My God! Where have you _been?!_ The next time you're going to go out for an hour, at least _tell us_ where you're going! Do you have any idea how worried you father and I have _been?!_ _You ought to be ashamed of yourself_!" screamed Hiashi's mother, rushing out from the kitchen with Hiashi's father close behind. Hiashi hung his head. He knew that they'd be upset with him, but why hadn't _they_ made an effort to figure out where he was in the first place?! It's not like _he_ could have gotten out of the police station on his _own…_ Wait a minute… had they said that he'd been gone just an _hour_…? He had been gone the entire afternoon…As his gaze swept the room in confusion, he noticed a bundle of objects tossed near the doorway, obscures by some large boxes… _What now…?_ He began to investigate more closely, but his father's voice pierced his concentration.

"Aren't you even going to apologize, _son_? Your mother and I have been worried sick, and you don't even bother to _apologize_? Now, did we bring you up to behave like this, _Hiashi_?" inquired Hiashi's father, placing and angry emphasis on each word he spoke. His eyes were dark and practically radiating the sense of shame that he was placing on 

Hiashi, while his mouth was pressed into a thin frown. Hiashi swallowed nervously. He'd never seen his father quite this upset…

"I'm sorry, mother. I'm sorry, father. I really am... It's just that I…" said Hiashi in a barely audible voice, his eyes downcast and teary. _How do I even live with this? It's like a constant guilt trip!_

"It's what…?" asked Hiashi's mother, her eyes as equally scornful as her husband's. 

Hiashi froze in thought. Had they truly not figured out that he had been gone much longer than a mere hour? Should he tell them about what happened this afternoon? _About Yui, and how she helped me…? No, not now and not ever. I'm in enough trouble as it is… _ "It's nothing. Well, it's something… but…" he stuttered, fumbling to find the appropriate words.

"What is it, Hiashi?" his mother asked, her annoyance obvious from the way that her dark brown eyes narrowed and how she was pressing each and every word.

"I… just met someone and we lost track of time!" he stated quickly. At least it was part of the truth… "I'm really so sorry! I didn't mean to make you worry like that! I'm so sorry!" To show how truly sorry he was, Hiashi bowed deeply, in the traditional Japanese style that his mother had taught him to do when expressing gratefulness or an apology. He could tell that his parents were starting to lighten up by the way they paused before what was to be the next expected derision. 

"So, Hiashi, who exactly was this person who kept you?" asked Hiashi's tall father, his tone of voice sounding rather teasing more than angry. Hiashi looked up at this, noticed his father's teasing expression, and blushed furiously.

"Just a new friend…" he replied vaguely, but soft enough to show that he knew he was still walking on thin, _thin _ice.

"A lady friend?"

"Err… Yeah…" Hiashi chewed his lower lip, trying desperately to hide the pink that had stained his cheeks. _How come Dad always does this? It's like he enjoys seeing me embarrassed! Wait, I know he enjoys this… Am I really that easy to read? _Hiashi groaned.

"I was right. Well, we're all right that you are okay and we'll discus the punishment in the morning, understood? Good. Now if you don't mind, "Mr. Lady's Man," your mother and I are exhausted and we shall be retiring for the night. You need to get some sleep yourself, so I'm expecting you to get to bed soon yourself. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes, Sir," a still pink Hiashi responded as he nodded.

"Good. Good night then." With this stiff farewell said, Hiashi's father took his wife's hand and gently led her through the maze of boxes and up the steps. It never failed to amaze Hiashi how easily those two could switch almost schizophrenically from one subject to another… he shook his head. He knew from at least thirteen years of experience that it was fruitless to try to understand his parents, or anyone over the age of thirty for that matter. Sighing, his thoughts returned to the strange bundle that had been carelessly tossed behind the boxes. Shoving the large and heavy boxes aside, he leaned down and gathered the mysterious items that had made up the bundle. 

_… Clothes…?_

Wrinkling his brow in confusion, Hiashi wondered aloud, "What _is_ this?" Heaving another huge sigh, he grabbed the last object behind the boxes, which happened to be… a half-eaten loaf of bread? _What the hell is going on around here? First, no one even realizes that I'm gone the entire afternoon, then I get accused of something I did but DIDN'T do, and then I find weird stuff in my house? This just isn't my day… Hold up a second… bread…? Isn't that…?This is too weird! _

Hiashi clutched his finds tightly. This all made absolutely no sense! What was going on? Growling in frustration, Hiashi scooped up the rest of the stuff to investigate in the privacy of his room. Still in an aggravated mood, he stood up quickly and snapped of the light switch. Making sure that the front door was locked, Hiashi then balanced his discoveries as he made his way through the disaster zone of his own new home. Being pleased with only completely tripping in the dark twice, Hiashi raced up the steps, down the upstairs hall, and into the safety of his new bedroom. Closing and locking the door behind him, Hiashi chucked the stuff to the far corner of his room and glared at it through the darkness. Illuminated only by a flickering streetlamp from the outside, Hiashi continued to stare hard as he vowed, "I have no idea what's going on, but I _swear_ that I'm going to find out and when I do… I don't know what then, but what's happening to me?! I can't even make sense of anything in my life; not even my own _dreams_…"

As he had spoken that, Hiashi had cautiously made his way over to his bed and had allowed himself to completely collapse on it. Laying his forearm across his eyes to block out the annoyingly inconsistent light, he could feel his confusion and frustration blurring into only one thought: _I need to sleep on this one… _ he decided as he kicked off his shoes onto the bare wooden floor. They landed his a soft thud and Hiashi curled onto this side, not even bothering to change into any pajamas. In a matter of minutes, he had completely dozed off and the only presence in the dark room seemed to come from the disorderedly stacked boxes, the unmade, yet occupied, bed placed carelessly in the center of the room, a flickering streetlight that found its way in through the uncovered window, and a small pile of unknown treasures that had seemingly thrown off the life of the room's only resident. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Oh, will you stop being so damn tense! It's just an _apartment complex_, for goodness sake!" Yui exclaimed as she attempted to get Kokuei to move _gracefully_. Ever since they had set foot inside the building, he had been tripping over his own feet and trying to hid himself behind her.

"But it's so… _big_…" he said incredulously, his midnight blue eyes wide with wonderment. "I think I'm going to get lost, Yui! I can't do it! It was nice of you to offer and all, but I really should be going and _not _sharing an apartment with you… " he added pathetically.

"You big baby! You'll get used to the size and it's not like we'll be sleeping together or anything!" she explained, for the first time beginning to look as flustered as her companion. Kokuei stopped dead in his already unsteady tracks and had now seemed to be glued to the floor… 

"Kokuei?" Yui questioned, her brow wrinkling in confusion. "… Kokuei? Are you all right?" She waved a hand in front of his wide and unfocused eyes. "Kokuei?" He seemed to snap out of it for a brief second, allowing his eyes to focus on something that wasn't exactly Yui's concerned-looking face. His eyes grew unfocused again as a trickle of blood began to stream from his nose… And Yui finally understood what his current frame of thinking consisted of.

"KOKUEI! YOU _PERVERT!!_" she screamed as she slapped him, hard, across the face. She crossed an arm defensively over her chest as his eyes snapped into focus.

"_What the hell was that for?!_" he demanded angrily, cupping a hand over his swelling cheek. She just glared at him, her eyes asking him if he really couldn't figure it out by himself.

"Oh… Eh… Sorry?" He flashed her a nervous grin.

"Hmph."

There was a long silence as Yui began to took up the lead to her apartment again, being a little more self-conscious and placing a good seven feet between herself and Kokuei. _Oops…?_ he thought to himself, not being quite sure what to be thinking at the moment.

"This is it," Yui announced as she paused in front of a door. Fishing around in her sweatshirt/jacket's pockets, she finally succeeded in extracting the correct key. Sliding it into the lock, she informed Kokuei that the apartment was rather small. As she opened the door, Kokuei's curious gaze fell immediately on the comfortable-looking sofa, which looked all the better when Yui flipped on the light switch. 

"I'll be sleeping there?" he inquired as he pointed to one of the two sofas. He could feel himself already growing tired at just the thought of the soft surface…

"I guess that would be right… Although, I must warn you that they're not fold-out beds or anything… Maybe if we pushed the two together?" she mused, not realizing that Kokuei was already set on the task. He hummed happily as he pushed the coffee table gently aside and pulled one sofa to touch the other in such a way that that the main cushions, not the backs, were touching. It had created a rather crib-like looking bed, but Yui had to admit, it _did _look quite comfortable… 

"Perfect!" he proclaimed proudly, beaming as he plopped himself down on his contraption. Yui stared, astonished at how easily he was satisfied. If that's all it took, life might even be _easier_… Laughing softly to herself, Yui just smiled happily as she tugged off the jacket and tossed it onto the floor. Kicking off her shoes, she stretched. Turning to face Kokuei's cheerful grin, she said, "I'm going to change into my pajamas, all right? I'll be out soon, and then we could talk for a little while. Would that be okay with you?"

He nodded vigorously from where he was perched behind the back of the sofa, a grin of total delight set across his striking face. Yui giggled and nodded back, closing her eyes in order to hold on the moment just a little longer. Smiling serenely, she slowly opened her eyes and she closed the small distance between her and the bedroom. 

"One sec, okay?" With this, she closed the door behind her and Kokuei's view of her was lost. Sighing happily, Kokuei fell back onto his bed and gazed contentedly at the ceiling as he waited. Maybe, just maybe, life might finally t be looking up for him. And _for the first time ever, I think I'll be happy…_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yay! Another chapter is done! I hope it didn't suck… I had such a hard time writing this! Anyways, enough complaining from me! ^^ What did _you_ think? Is it remotely fluffy yet? I swear I'm working on it! ^^& All right, since I decided I like these next chapter previews, here you go! *dramatic music plays* In the next chapter of Nijuusei… another Yui/Kokuei fluff chapter! Only this time… More fluff! And guess what? I've just thought of the most complicated plot this story could possibly take on, so it's going to get a lot more interesting in the next chapters! We're talking incredibly complicated, taking three pages typed, 10-font just to brainstorm. I can't wait to get there, but I promise I won't rush these cuter chapters. Let's see what else is new… Oh yeah! I have another new fic called "If You Give a Seishi a Condom." Read it sometime if you want a really odd display of terrible humor, but please don't forget to review! I'm going to do the Seiryuu chapter next, so if you like it then you're in luck! All right… I _think_ I'm done… Thanks so much for reading and please don't forget that I still love reviews! 

-Kaen ^^


	9. Better Off the Second Go 'Round

Nijuusei

Chapter 9: Better Off the Second Go 'Round

By Kaen

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sorry this chapter took so long to get out! I've been busy with traveling, costume making, doing nothing, and being lazy. I truly apologize to anyone and everyone who has been patiently awaiting the new chapter. Without further delay, please read on and if you could find it in your heart to review, I'd love you forever!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You're not falling asleep on me already, are you?" Yui swept a few strands of hair away from Kokuei's eyes.

"Hmmm…?" he shifted some as his eyes fluttered slightly. Yui sighed good-naturedly.

"Maybe we could talk later, Kokuei?" she asked his weary form, which look quite comfortable on the two miniature sofas. That actually did catch his attention as he groaned sleepily, stretched, and let out a jaw splitting yawn. Sitting up, he looked at her in confusion for a few seconds before recalling his current position. 

"Oh! Yui! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to drift off… I'd really love to talk with you now!" Kokuei said with a little more enthusiasm than Yui had thought possible, given that he had just woken up. He grinned and scooted over so that there was room for her on the couch-contraption. _Just like Suboshi, _Yui mused as she lowered herself onto the sofas, _Crashed to conscious in less than five seconds_. Meanwhile, Kokuei allowed himself to take in Yui's new appearance. She had traded her white sweatshirt and jeans for a loose-fitting t-shirt and what appeared to be boxers. Okay then… 

"Don't you like my pajamas?" Yui teased, playfully poking Kokuei's side. He yelped, reflexively blocking the area from further assault with his hand. 

She giggled as she declared, "You're poke-able."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am _not_." 

She poked him again. "There, you see? You _are_ pokeable."

"Fine," he admitted nonchalantly, "but you're wearing boxers." 

"They're better than your pajamas," she countered.

"… What pajamas?" Kokuei questioned, not catching on to Yui's little prank.

"Exactly."

"Oh…" he looked down, blushing ever so slightly. 

Yui smirked in satisfaction at the response she got out of Kokuei. It was fun to tease him- both the brothers,' actually. Of course, she wasn't planning on having her new roommate sleep in his normal clothes forever. A shopping trip was definitely planned in the near future, whether he liked it or not. "Hey, Kokuei?" She decided to inform him of the agenda. 

"What is it?"

"I think that we should get you some other clothes. How about we go out tomorrow?" she said, shrinking down slightly. She was almost certain that such a suggestion would make him feel uncomfortable. 

"That sounds all right. I'll see what I can get with the twenty bucks I found today!" he paused, an almost pained expression on his face. "Wait a second… Actually, I was going to go today, but I… had some trouble."

Yui straightened back up, listening with renewed interest. "What happened?"

"Uh… Well, I had a bit of trouble with some crazy lady who thought that I was her kid, and then I almost ran into a group of people who don't particularly like me…"

"_What did you just say?!_" Yui started, gripping Kokuei's shoulders as her intense eyes bore into his startled ones. 

"About the people?" Kokuei squeaked timidly. 

"No! I mean, about the lady who thought that you were her kid and all?" she explained impatiently. Whatever could've happened then probably involved Hiashi…

"Well, I was just sitting in a back alley and was about to eat, but then this lady yells, 'Hiashi! Come help us move stuff into your room. Don't be rude, and bla bla bla…'"

Although Kokuei continued his story past that, Yui had let him go and had allowed her thoughts to trail off into something else. _So, Kokuei was mistaken for Hiashi while Hiashi was stuck at the station? It would make sense, but the odds of that happening are nearly impossible! This has already caused too much havoc… They're going to have to meet each other soon…_

"Yui, is there something wrong?"

She snapped out of her thoughts. Grinning apologetically, she lied, "There's nothing wrong. I was just thinking about… how you life must have been. Could you tell me a little bit about it?"

He gazed at her thoughtfully, as if trying to recall something important that he had long since forgotten. Emotions quickly mirrored themselves in his eyes, but finally he shrugged, looking away, as he stated, "It's not that special, really."

"Could you tell me anyways?" Yui asked earnestly, leaning her head against his shoulder. She heard him sigh.

"Okay, but just remember that you asked me for it. It'll probably put you to sleep," he tried as a last-ditch effort. She nodded, silently prodding him to continue. "Well, when I was really little- maybe three or so? – I remember a lot of yelling and arguing." He paused, a frown crossing his features. "But, one day, the screaming stopped and my mother was dead. She had been the only one who had tried to stand up to my father because he was drunk most of the time and was always beating on me-"

"Just you?" Yui interrupted, her brow furrowed in thought.

He fell silent, his fingers drumming on the cushion. After several seconds, he finally responded, "I think so. No siblings, if that's what you're asking. It was just me and my mother, unless you want to hear about my imaginary friend…"

She answered abruptly: "Sure, why not? I want to know as much about you as I can."

He looked at her awkwardly, not understanding the purpose of her suggestion. Shrugging his shoulders again, he attempted to explain. "Um… Well, my imaginary friend, huh? That's one thing no one's ever asked about before… okay, well first of all: he was a little boy like me – this is so embarrassing to talk about."

"But can't you tell me, Kokuei?" Yui pleaded, sitting up straight in order to look him in the eye. He faltered, temporarily loosing himself in the shining blue orbs. She bit down on her lower lip, giving the impression that she was about to burst into tears. He gulped. The last thing he wanted was to make her cry, especially not _because_ of him!

"All right, all right…" He averted his gaze, his cheeks slightly flushed. Before he continued, he stole a side-glance at Yui. Damn it, she was holding that adorable, yet pitiful face. He felt his face burning as he pressed himself on: "My friend was just like me. I'd imagine that we always liked the same things and that we were best friends, since I wasn't allowed to go outside and play with other kids. We even looked the same, but looking back on it…"

"What about it?"

"Now that I think about it, it was probably just a mirror that I'd talk to. Guess it happens when you're lonely and little, huh?" He laughed nervously. "How dumb is that?" he added, more as a statement than a question.__

There were no words to describe the wave of sadness that overtook Yui's heart. Could it be true that Kokuei really _didn't _know his own brother? Did Kokuei really believe that his own brother was really just a figment of his imagination, something that was just as easily dismissed from one's thoughts as a sudden chill in a room? She felt genuine tears swell in her eyes, but she wiped them away quickly with the back of his hand before her companion could notice. How incredibly sad…

"Anyways," he rambled on, desperately trying to change the conversation. "After my mom died, all I can remember was that I was suddenly out on the streets, alone. I literally just woke up and I couldn't figure out how I got there or anything. I know I was lost for a long time, and then the house that I used to live in had been chained shut and there was bright yellow tape all around it."

"Condemned?" Yui inquired.

"Probably… But it's hard to picture it perfectly because I was so little, you know? I wandered around for a long time after that- maybe years? I just know it was really hard and I was sick a lot of the time."

"How could you live like that? You were so young; you couldn't have possibly survived like that on your own!" Yui pointed out, emphasizing by lifting her hand and holding it palm-up. A sorrowful expression fell over Kokuei's face, his eyebrows furrowing. He leaned back further against the sofa as he sighed heavily.

"You're right. I wasn't alone all the time out there… Someone looked after me for a while, but..."

"But what?"

"He died," he stated, sounding indifferent, but his eyes gave away his true feelings. Yui couldn't ignore the pain shimmering in the midnight-blue depths, especially after being made more obvious by the dim lighting. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders, hugging him gently.

"I'm sorry," Yui whispered, "I can tell that it still hurts you, and you don't have to talk about it anymore of you don't want to. Perhaps you wouldn't believe me, but I once lost someone very dear to me. The problem was that at the time of his death, I hadn't realized my feelings for him. I wouldn't accept his affection, and I never told him that I didn't love him… He died alone and it was my fault. I was told that he called out for me; even after I'd always treat him poorly, but somehow he loved me and had always been gracious to me…" She sniffled, fighting back her tears against. She rested her forehead against Kokuei's shoulder, embracing him tighter. He voice was hoarse as she repeated: "I never told him that I didn't love him, and I never let him know that I cared about him either. I was so damn selfish; all I ever thought about was how _I_ felt, never how the ones around me felt. I'm such an idiot1 I'm-"

"Beautiful," Kokuei finished, his voice barely over a whisper. He wrapped his arms around her tenderly and she gasped, taken aback by both his verbal and physical response. She clung to him, willing the tears to subside, but finding trouble as she realized irony of the situation. Here was the very one who died for her, in his new life and embracing her as he told her that she was beautiful. 

"You wouldn't be saying that if you knew what I did, Kokuei. You'd hate me if you knew…" she replied bitterly, pulling away.

But instead of releasing her, he tightened his arms around her. He shushed her and then brought a hand up to stroke her hair. She savored the gentle touch, closing her eyes and leaning into it with a sigh. _I don't know how he could possibly forgive me if he knew how he suffered at my hands, and now, here he is, comforting me once again. How do such miracles happen to such undeserving people? How could he be here, so oblivious to my broken heart that still calls for him after all of these years? I guess it's true… I did care… I did.. love…_

"I'm sorry, Yui," Kokuei said to her softly. "I'm not much of a comfort. I know I could never replace the one that you lost, but I'll stay here and try to comfort you for as long as you'll have me."

"You're more of a comfort than you'll ever know, Kokuei. And if _you'll_ stay with _me_, you can stay here forever. I don't want you to ever leave me…" _Again…_ her subconscious added for her, causing her grip on Kokuei to tighten. 

His eyes softened, fondness radiating from them. But somehow, it felt as though his emotions went far beyond fondness. Is it- was it possible that he, the worthless, nameless, street bum was in love, and had his love returned? _No… She just pities you… That's what you're allowed to stay here. You'll never be good enough to have even you're own apartment, and Yui sees that. That's why she's letting you stay… You don't deserve her either… You're worthless…_he swallowed the lump that had lodged itself in his throat as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to get his conscience to shut up. Changing his current thought, he quickly began to talk.

"I feel so stupid now; I used to think that I'd lost the most important thing in the world, but then I hear your story and I can't even compare to your loss! You must have endured so much pain and here I am, acting so pathetic! I'm so sorry!" 

"Don't apologize, Kokuei. It's my fault, my story was. Nothing's ever worse than knowing that you could've prevented something terrible from happening, but even afterwards, it's still my fault. It's not fair that you should have to take on the burden of my stupid actions…"

"I care to much about you to let you suffer alone," Kokuei said earnestly, his eyes reflecting his sincerity and warmth. Yui's eyes snapped up form the floor as she met his eyes. Being illuminated by the tabletop lamp, those same large blue eyes were made even more inviting as dim light softened the rest of his features. Yui felt herself drowning in the intensity of their gaze; her heart fluttering and making her feel so light. She couldn't help herself as she leaned closer, his slightly parted lips becoming her unconsciously made goal. She allowed her eyes to drift closed, but they were reopened as she felt Kokuei shift. He was looking away; his cheeks flushed bright red, suddenly finding something fascinating about the blinds covering the window. 

"I'm sorry," she stated quickly, leaning back and sitting with her legs folded underneath her. She had been released from his hold completely, and she felt a pang of hurt go through her when she noticed that Kokuei wouldn't look at her. Feeling the need to get both their minds off the prior incident, Yui inquired gently about the person that her flushed friend had lost.

"He wasn't that great of a person, really," Kokuei answered quickly, grateful for the change in moods. "I think that he was a strictly drug dealer, because he dropped out of school and didn't know how to do anything else." He glanced over at Yui, but her expression was unreadable, so he continued: "Anyways, he found me a little while after I woke up alone. He wasn't any knight in shining armor, but he got me food and helped me get better. Later, when I was a little older, he began to show me how to live on the streets without and job and without money."

"Without money?" Yui pondered aloud, the meaning not sinking in immediately.

"Uh, shoplifting and garbage rooting," he clarified. 

"Oh…"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm just a common street bum. After my friend was killed in a drive-by shooting, I had to live off of stolen food, restaurants' leftovers, and then the occasional soup kitchen. With some of the stuff I ate when I was starving, it was a miracle that I didn't kill myself." He laughed half-heartedly, before adding: "You know what? It's got to be some weird, displaced miracle that I met you. I have a place to stay, real food if you'll feed me, and a descent life. I don't deserve something this good; _you're _too good. I'm afraid that if I go to sleep, I'll wake up and find out that this was all just a dream!"

She abruptly shushed him, slightly startling him as she reached over and turned off the light to her left. 

"You don't know how lucky _I_ am to have found you, Kokuei. I don't think that you'll ever understand that. I'm not perfect, as you'll soon discover. Neither one of us are perfect, but you'll stay we me so that we can be imperfect together, right?"

He stared off into the dark, being unable to see Yui's love-filled eyes anymore. All he could think about was how lucky he was, how perfect Yui was, even if she wouldn't believe him if she told him, and how he felt. It was if he had discovered the greatest joy any person could ever find, yet he found no words or actions to express how he felt. He was condemned to keep his discovery a secret, for he found no way to tell anyone about it. His eyes dropped down as he vainly tried to focus on what had just caused the sofa cushions net to him to sink in. 

"Yui?" he whispered, tracing his hand over her smooth face and then going to stroke her soft hair again. She whimpered softly in response, once again trying to savor the gentle touch. He sighed, a small smile and reassured her: "I'll stay as long as you want me to. That way, we can be imperfect together.  I'll stay with you forever."

She sighed, a tiny smile gracing her face, as she acknowledged his affectionate words. The cushion shifted again as Kokuei laid down beside Yui, his arms wrapping around her from behind. He held her delicately, as is she were made of glass and would shatter if he held her to firmly. She, in turn, snuggled back against him, enjoying the warmth that his body was emitting. He held her a little tighter, but still refused to make his grip much stronger. She sighed in defeat. 

They remained like that for several more minutes; until Yui noticed that his breathing had regulated and his heart was beating with the same, slow, soothing rhythm. She confirmed that he had drifted off to sleep, feeling herself lulled by his steady, strong heartbeat. And as a final thought before sleep claimed her, she whispered: 

"Kokuei, I don't know how you could ever believe this, but you're so lucky. You're life now is so sweet compared to the one you once had to live… I don't know why or how you're here with me, but I thank the gods for you. You may never believe it, but you're better off this go around. You'll never know how much, but somehow I know that it's better this way. I've always… cared about you… so please… don't ever leave me…"

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I can't believe how fast I wrote this chapter. Usually it takes me a good seven hours, but I just finished the last four pages in less than two hours! That's probably not that impressive for some of you, but I'm proud of myself. Maybe it's because I put myself on Nijuusei deprivation or something while I was traveling and being lazy? Sorry! I really didn't mean to leave everyone hanging, which is exactly why some reviews would be just that much more lovely! Please?? I promise that I'll have the next chapter out sooner! Okay, now I'm just begging… Oh well. I better let you go before I get too pathetic… all right, bye and please review!

-Kaen ^^


	10. The First Day of a New Life

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Nijuusei

Chapter 10: The First Day of a New Life

By Kaen

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He turned slightly in his sleep, attempting to ignore the nagging voices in the back of head. They were constantly reminding him about some unwanted thing or another, whether it be the fact that he shouldn't be where he was or that his comfort would soon be destroyed as he discovered the warmth next to him to be only a dream. He sighed heavily, awaiting the piercing wind that would rob him of his happiness. And he waited, but the freezing gust never came, and the warmth never disappeared. The comfort underneath him never dissolved, and the feeling of soreness that one gets from sleeping the wrong way never came. His tired mind reeled in confusion, trying to decipher if whether or not he had died. No, he hadn't died. He wouldn't go to heaven if he had, but if he wasn't in heaven, where was he? He cracked open a bleary eye and vainly tried to take in his surroundings. His gaze fell upon the source of the wonderful warmth next to him, and he smiled. He wasn't in heaven, but there was definitely an angel beside him. 

Kokuei sighed again, this time in happiness. It was over, his hellish life alone was finally over. And it was all because of this beautiful angel, who had been benevolent enough to swoop down from heaven and care about him. He bit his lower lip, trying to contain the love that was swelling up in his heart. But after deciding that it wasn't best to make himself draw blood, he settled from wrapping his arms tighter around Yui, hugging her to him and curling up closer to her sleeping form. However, this action, as small as it was, seemed to be enough to stir Yui from her dreams and she let out a jaw-splitting yawn, straightening her entire body in a full stretch. When she was done, she turned until she was facing Kokuei and snuggled closer to him, her eyes still closed. He laughed softly to himself, not being able to help thinking how cute she was!

"What's so funny?" she asked, her speech slurred. He abruptly stopped laughing, and she wearily opened her eyes.

"Good morning," he said with a smile, one hand sweeping the loose strands of hair away from her face. She made a sound almost like a soft groan in the back of her throat and curled up tighter, allowing her eyelids to drift down. He sighed resignedly, deciding to let her sleep a little longer, as he gently maneuvered her arms until he could see the time on the small wristwatch. It read 11:43, easily the latest that he'd ever slept in his life. Kokuei had learned early on that it was better to get up and going before anyone else had, for he had had a few misfortunate times where he had been robbed of what little he had, or he had fallen asleep in a nice neighborhood where the residents would have sooner called the police than helped him. But that was all over now, he blissfully reminded himself.

Yui sighed, yawning again. She pushed herself until she was braced on her left elbow and stretched again. Looking at Kokuei, she smiled warmly and gave the delayed reply: "Good Morning."

Kokuei watched, fascinated, as she carelessly swung her legs over the over padded armrest, sat completely up on top of, and slid off, landing with both feet on the floor. The movement itself wasn't what had amazed him, but, rather, the fact that someone could get themselves up so fast. There was a defined line between being awake and being up, but Yui had just crossed it so quickly that it left him transfixed. 

"Mmm… I never realized how small those couches were until I tried to sleep on them!" 

Kokuei looked slightly hurt. "You didn't sleep well?" he asked uncertainly, concern written all over his features. 

"I slept fine, don't worry about me." She smiled reassuringly to prove her point. "How about you?"

"Great! That was undoubtedly the best I've slept since before I can even remember." He smiled brightly, making no effort to conceal his feelings for her. Yui soon found herself smiling back as she offered him a hand up, which he gratefully took. He was heavier than she thought he was, she discovered as she helped him up when his lack of effort nearly caused her to fall on him. He apologized earnestly, and made more of an attempt to push himself up. When they were both standing by the sofa-bed contraption, Kokuei got an idea and "collapsed" onto Yui, making her struggle to support him. He draped his arms around her shoulders and said melodramatically, "I can't go on. I'm too tired…"

Yui pretended to be upset with his idea of acting and scowled, smacking him lightly over his chest. When he didn't so much as flinch, she threatened, "I'm going let go of you if you don't stand up on your own!"

Once again, he didn't respond as he pretended to be asleep. Yui sighed, and stepped out of the way after giving him one strong push that would allow her to escape. He maintained his facade for another second or two, before he realized that she would really let him fall, but by the time he figured it out, it was too late. He landed on the thinly carpeted floor on his hands and knees with a loud thud and sputtered indignantly for a good while before turning to glare at Yui. Of course, he wasn't really upset; he was enjoying their play session more than anything else. Yui was laughing at him, he noticed, and decided to seek his revenge and when she least expected it, Kokuei pounced from his kneeling position. She promptly lost her balance, her laughter faltering, as she clung onto Kokuei's shoulders for dear life as she fell backwards onto her boxer-clad butt. He used her death grip on him to his advantage in to pin he the rest of the way down, after straddling on her legs. 

"I win," he stated triumphantly, but much to his disappointment, she wasn't intimidated or even shocked; she was laughing harder than before. He drummed his fingers impatiently on her wrists, where had chosen to pin her. However, even in his frustration of his failed "revenge," he couldn't help but think how cute she looked when she laughed. He was drawn into it himself, and soon they were both laughing like two fools without a reason. After several moments of their shared amusement, Kokuei's unreasonable laughter died down and he suddenly felt awkward with the position he was in. After all, he was sitting on top of (actually, _straddling_) the girl of his dreams and she was somehow oblivious to this fact, her giggles beginning to die down and eventually cease.

Kokuei felt his heart rate leap, and it seemed that all the blood in his body rushed to his face, making his cheeks as red, if not redder, than a tomato. He realized that she was staring intensely into his eyes and he looked away distractedly. It was almost just like last night, where he had been so tempted to kiss her, but had reluctantly decided against it after resolving that she would be offended. He didn't want to make the impression that he expected anything from her, especially after she had generously allowed him to stay with her for as long as he wanted! He found himself hastily standing up and standing by her side as he lent a hand down. He looked away, busying his interest in anything that his eyes fell upon, but let out a breath that he had never been aware of holding when she took his hand and stood up. Several seconds of uncomfortable silence passed before Yui announced that she was going to go get ready to go out. 

Kokuei nodded in acknowledgement and waited until Yui had gone in her room before flopping back down on his "bed." _Why did I do that!? Now I feel even worse than I did yesterday! She's only trying to help me! It's not like she'd be interested in a relationship with me! Even if I do care more than I should about her, I can't let her know how I feel and I certainly can't ask her to return my feelings. Just forget about it, Kokuei… _He paused in mid-thought to scowl. _That's not even my name. It was just a nickname given to me by him when I couldn't recall my real one. Maybe that's what happens when your own father constantly calls you "brat" and your mother won't speak to you in fear of angering him. _He sighed wistfully.

_I'd give anything to know more about myself. Gods, I just want to know who I _am…

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Meanwhile, in Yui's bedroom, she hummed quietly to herself as she pulled an outfit from her closet. And even though she selected a nice outfit from her wardrobe, her thoughts were anywhere but on her clothing. Her mind was like a tape that just kept on being rewound, just watching one part over and over again. She just couldn't get Kokuei out of her mind! Just the night before and those few minutes that morning had permanently engraved themselves into her mind, and it's not it'd be a bad thing, except for the fact that she kept thinking about Hiashi! 

_You'd think I'd be able to decide between them! I would have just laughed if I ever knew that I'd be in this situation_, _but now I'm so afraid of hurting one of them. I know I should care about Kokuei, but there's something about Hiashi that I just can't leave behind! What am I going to do?_

She sighed, putting an end to her mindless humming as she pulled the sweater over her head and straightened it accordingly. Speaking of Hiashi, didn't she promise to go on a date with him sometime soon? She groaned, her life becoming just that much more complicated. How in the world was she going to keep them apart before she had prepared them for meeting each other? And what about leaving Kokuei home alone? She couldn't help but fear that he'd get into something he wasn't supposed to, or break something, or hurt himself, or put a aluminum-foil wrapped potato in the microwave, or… She felt sick just imagining it. With living on the streets so long, he was probably just about as educated about modern household appliances as Suboshi would have been.

Yui decided that it was best to think about the immediate future, to think about shopping with Kokuei. It was definitely going to be an interesting experience, to say the least, but it was certainly necessary. Kokuei couldn't very well run around in the same clothes forever, even though he had probably had to before. _But not anymore_, she reminded herself. He was going to stay with her forever, if she had any say in it at all and maybe then, he might let her love him. But mornings weren't good for love. After all, now matter how beautiful the person, morning breath still stinks! With that in mind, she stepped into the bathroom adjoining her bedroom and brushed her teeth. 

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Kokuei frowned as he scrutinized his appearance in the small decorative mirror hung low on the wall. His hair was an absolute mess, almost as if a bird had once used it for a nest, and to make matters worse he only had a flimsy comb for use in trying to tame its unruly mass. Several minutes later, he was finally somewhat content and straightened himself in order to fish inside his pocket for other essentials he usually had stored there. But when his hand found nothing in the big pocket, he felt his heart sink. All of his possessions, as few as they were, were toted inside the pockets of his old pair of oversized jeans, and he felt somehow sick when he realized that everything that he had before was lost. Not to mention the twenty dollars that he had been fortunate enough to find earlier that day.

Kokuei was back at nothing, yet somehow had been given it all. If it meant that he had had to loose a lifted toothbrush, so be it. There was no point dwelling on the loss of rather cheap and easily replaceable items. In fact, all he really had to do was walk over to a convenience store, stroll by the aisle, and… No. He swore right then and there that he'd never steal anything again, unless the item was unaffordable (to him) and absolutely necessary. He didn't feel any guilt about stealing before, though. It was that he had had no other choice, if he wanted to live and be sort of healthy, but to steal and in the long run, he felt that the huge chain of stores could afford to be missing ten to eleven dollars worth of stuff every two weeks or so. Surely even they would understand that one must eat to live. 

But even that was over now and Kokuei smiled brightly at the thought. He had no clue how he'd ever be able to repay Yui for everything that she was doing for him, but even if he ever found a way to repay the massive debt, he would never consider them even. He owed her far more than she could ever know or even comprehend; not unless she lived like he did for fifteen years… He finished straightening his clothes with these thoughts running through his mind, just as the door to Yui's bedroom creaked open and she stood there in casual dress, holding the strap to a miniature backpack loosely in her hand. She looked Kokuei up and down once, slung the backpack over her shoulder, and proceeded to close the bedroom door firmly behind her. 

"Ready to go?" she asked, turning back to him with a cheery smile.

He nodded, giving a final pull to the sleeve of the sweater in attempt to smooth out a particularly stubborn wrinkle. 

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"What about this?" Kokuei asked hopefully, holding up a worn gray tee shirt. Yui looked befuddled by his selection, and she sighed after a second of taking in all that was to be seen in the shirt.

"Kokuei, you don't need to be _that_ cheap! I can certainly afford nicer things for you, especially at this place!" 

To demonstrate her pint, Yui held up her arm and made a sweeping movement that was meant to remind him of what store they were in. When they had just barely set out, Kokuei had insisted that they go to Goodwill. He had completely refused Yui's offer to take him to a mall, but she was secretly grateful. Truth be told, she didn't have as much money as she would have liked, so this trip to Goodwill was certainly a welcome relief when she saw how low the prices were. Some nice things were available for the near equivalent of only 200 yen, two dollars in American money! She fished through the racks of clothing until she seemed satisfied with her finds of a black jacket, a deep red tee shirt that looked brand new, and a dark blue dress shirt. She turned to Kokuei, who had been watching her ever since she made him put the 75-cent shirt back on the rack. After seeing what Yui had picked out for him, he felt almost ashamed to admit to himself that he'd actually worn things far worse than he previous discovery. 

"Here," Yui said as she shoved the three articles into Kokuei's arms, taking him slightly off guard. He looked at her nearly as quizzically as she had looked at him earlier, and she couldn't help but think that he was looking at her as is she'd sprouted another arm or two. 

"Go try these things on," she explained, vaguely gesturing to the sign that read "dressing rooms" towards the corner of the store. But by the time that her words had sunk in, she had already returned to browsing the racks. He watched her for a second longer before turning and trudging to the rooms.

Yui continued to sort through the seemingly endless supply of cheap clothes after Kokuei had left to try on the things she had given him. After a little while longer of browsing, she had pulled a few jeans, a pair of slacks and a nice khaki pair, not unlike the ones he was wearing now. It was then that the most peculiar thought occurred to her: If Kokuei had been homeless for so long, how in the world had he managed to get a hold of such nice clothes? She shook her head, willing the strange idea to dislodge itself from her mind. Honestly, Yui wasn't even sure she wanted to know how he got the clothes, but she was almost certain that it had to do with the mix-up with Hiashi. With the final task of selecting about four more shirts, Yui set off across the store to the small dressing rooms into which Kokuei had recently vanished. 

"Kokuei?" she called softly into the larger room surrounded by many smaller dressing rooms.

"I'm in this one!" he replied, pushing one of his disregarded shoes under the door. Yui approached the door before timidly inquiring how the shirt fit.

"The shirts are all nice, and the jacket's good, too. But…" he paused in mid-sentence, and the blonde girl waiting outside could just imagine the blush staining his face. "Pants would be nice…" He added at last.

Of course, Yui burst out laughing at this, finding the situation every bit as funny as the expression Kokuei probably wore, but she managed to compose herself for the few seconds that it took to shove the new clothes over the stall's door. He mumbled an insincere "thank you" to Yui, and she seemed just that much more pleased with herself with the response he gave.  While muffling her laugher until it died out, she had brought herself over to sit in a chair nearby and patiently awaited for Kokuei emerge. Finally, after some shuffling and rattling, the door slowly opened, as it the dressing stall itself was reluctant to allow it's occupant to step out of it. 

"I don't know about this…" Kokuei mumbled with just his face poking out of the space made by the partially open door, his eyes downcast in order to avoid looking directly at Yui. He then pushed the door the rest of the way open to reveal what he seemed so embarrassed about. But Yui was too enthralled to notice his blush. 

He had chosen to wear the royal blue dress shirt with the black slacks, making him look remarkably like a model from a men's fashion magazine. Even despite the fact that he had neglected to tuck in the shirt and button its sleeves, Yui could help how she felt drawn to him. She stood up, crossing the small area in wide strides until she was by his side. She took his forearm into her hands and buttoned the cuff, unintentionally brushing her hand lightly over his, then moved onto the over side to repeat the action. She looked at him again and then pulled lightly at the bottom of the shirt. 

"You should tuck this in," she told him softly. He nodded and turned back towards the mirror in his dressing room. When he was finished, he turned around again and held his arms outward for Yui to inspect. With a final tug hear and there, Yui was not only satisfied, but also somehow transfixed. 

But when Kokuei asked what was bothering her, she quickly replied, "Nothing at all. You just look so nice wearing that outfit." She conveniently forgot to mention how absolutely gorgeous he looked, how the shirt literally matched his eyes, and how many women would be more than likely to be throwing themselves at his feet. She had quickly decided beforehand that these were definitely things to be kept to herself, even if every other woman would already know without her having to tell them! Yui sent him in to try on his other things before she was tempted to drag him out on the town them and there. 

The rest of the fitting process was rather uneventful, since it was almost like everything Yui had chosen would somehow fit Kokuei. But once, she actually had to stop him from announcing that a pair of jeans fit because they were nearly ready to fall off of his slender hips! But besides that minor incident, there was really nothing that interesting. He was happy with all the shirts, pants, and jackets as long as he could get them on and off, and Yui felt a little guilty about pondering how simple it would be to shop for him. When they left the store three and a half hours later, the total count on Kokuei's new thinks were eight new shirts (including two dress shirts and a heavy sweater), five pair of pants complete with jeans and slacks, two jackets for winter, and three pairs of shoes all for the total of thirty-two dollars and fourteen cents. 

Kokuei seemed as happy as he could be as he strolled out of the Goodwill store, carrying the bags that contained his new treasures. Yui giggled at the blissful look on his face and began to hope that she'd see that look more often, but her sweet reverie was interrupted as Kokuei began to thank her dearly, doing almost everything to express his gratitude except grovel on the cold ground, which Yui had hardly managed to prevent him from doing.

"It's nothing! You and I will be together for a while and I just want you to be happy. You deserve it, after having to have gone through what you did for so long," Yui smiled reassuringly after saying this, causing any retorts in Kokuei's mind to vanish on the spot. He simply returned her warm smile and they walked side by side in silence, enjoying the company of the other. They continued to stroll together until Yui stopped him in front of a large clothes and grocery store. She then reached around into her backpack and extracted her wallet, removing twenty dollars from it. Yui grasped Kokuei's wrist, forcing him to lift his hand palm-up, where she then placed the bill. 

"Will this be enough?" she asked earnestly, looking up at him for an answer. He faltered, nearly loosing his grip on the bill, but Yui held it there and patiently waited for his response.

"Enough for… what?" he finally squeaked out, being unaccustomed to having such amounts of money just randomly plopped in his hand. Yui looked away, slightly flushed.

"Um… Enough for… Well, I'm sure there are certain things that you're quite capable of selecting on your own. Things you probably wouldn't appreciate my company for," she tried to explain without being too blunt, looking away the entire while. But when he still didn't seem to understand, she reached for the side of his sweater, lifted it slightly, and pointed to the top of his boxers that had been protruding from the top of the khakis. Comprehension finally blessed him and he asked Yui to wait in the front of the store for him. She took a seat by the front wall with Kokuei's other new clothes and watched as a rather flustered Kokuei disappeared somewhere in the store. When he returned, he practically shoved the change into Yui's waiting hands, being too embarrassed to look at her. She laughed lightly at Kokuei. What right did anyone have to be that damn adorable! 

Yui sighed when she realized that he didn't find any part of the situation amusing, and resolved to change the topic. Looking down at their finds, she suggested to Kokuei, "Let's go home now."

His eyes seemed to brighten as she spoke the word "home," and he smiled, enthusiastically agreeing with her proposal. She approached the street side and waved her arm high in the air in order to get a taxi, and once they were inside with all their bags she heard Kokuei say softly, "Home sounds good to me. Let's go home." He placed an emphasis on the word "home" each time as if he were testing it out, and after deciding that he liked the way he sounded, he grinned while chewing his lower lip thoughtfully. It was true. He had a home now, just like he'd always wished for. However, he knew that even his most spectacular fantasies could have never prepared him for the real joy of just living a decent life with a person you care about. Surely things could never get better… or could they?

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That's the end of this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, because I really did try to have it out faster than it took the last one. I also have a bit of good news for "Nijuusei" fans. I've outlined and planned the rest of this fic, so chapters will be written and posted much faster, rather than me having to think about what's going to happen in this chapter, who's going to be in it, etc. At least, that's the idea. ^^& But, I'm seriously going to try to finish up this fic before I focus my attention too much on other ones. I'm actually going to attempt to have a new chapter out every week, so please stick with me. We've only got twenty more chapters to go! {faints} Please review?

Disclaimer: I don't own Goodwill. I know I mentioned that before in an earlier chapter, but I thought it might be a good idea to say it again. But just so you all know, Goodwill kicks butt for costume stuff…


	11. Drifting Till An Anchor Drops

Nijuusei

Chapter 11: Drifting Till An Anchor Drops

By Kaen

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Yay! The new chapter! Aren't you all just so happy? I hope you are because I really tried to have the new chapter up today. Why today, you ask? Because it's the Seiryuu twins' birthday! August 26, right on! It's actually my mother's birthday today as well. When I first learned of that fact, I'm sure you could understand why I'd be more than a little… scared, yep. Oh well, please read on and review!

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So… Let's get this straight…We have a pair of old jeans, a blood-stained over shirt without any buttons, some worn-out sneakers, an open loaf of bread, and twenty bucks… What the hell is going on here!? 

Hiashi groaned and flopped on his back from the cross-legged position he was in, sprawling out on the wooden floor of his bedroom. He gazed absentmindedly at the ceiling as he tried to find some sort of pattern in the items sorted on his cluttered floor. The bread was probably the stolen thing he was accused of stealing, but how did it get inside his house? And what was with the other stuff he found? Did some random guy steal some food, come to his house, strip down naked and just leave? No, that couldn't be right. If whoever it was went through the trouble of stealing in the first place, it wouldn't have been just to dump it at someone's house! He sighed, closing his eyes. Was everything on the East Coast always this illogical? 

Maybe he could go out for a walk and try to sort his findings? He used to do that in California, since their house was so close to the beach. He'd just slip on his sandals and walk a couple blocks to get to the oceanside, but now it was so different. He couldn't just leave anymore because of the incident the other day that his parents now distrusted him for, but even if he could leave, where would he go? It was always cold and overcast, and there were no beaches to abandon one's sandals on and walk along the surf. There hadn't been a warm, comfortable day since Hiashi had moved to New York, and he doubted that he'd ever see one here in the overcrowded, dreary city. He sighed heavily, in his heart revisiting his favorite place on earth, and in his mind, realizing that he may never see it again for several years to come.

In a situation like this, one would expect the unfortunate boy who was whisked away to a new home across the country to be complaining about the home that he had to leave, and particularly about the friends he forced to leave. But Hiashi did neither. They had moved and his warm days and beautiful ocean were gone, but he did nothing to lament the loss of his friends. There were no friends to lament. From the time he was adopted to the time of the first episode, he had had some friends, but like most childhood friends, there were gone like the mist of the night when the sun arises. Maybe they would still be with him if it weren't for the accident, or whatever it had been. When he'd had to start going to court and spending most of his days at a children's institute, he never got to play with his friends, and barely got to see his parents for that matter. 

When it was over nearly a year over, the family was held together by strands as fine as a strand of silk, silk that had once been a beautiful strong tapestry that had been reinforced with the unconditional love. It was stained, burned, and battered, but Hiashi had helped his parents pick up the severed strings from the dirty ground and they, together as a family, began the painstakingly slow process of reweaving a torn tapestry. It could never be a brilliant as it once was, though, in those carefree days where he and his mother would play on the beach all day and then come home to greet his father when he came back from work. His father's eyes would be so bright when Hiashi would jump into his arms, telling hurried stories of some magical creature or another that he and his mother had supposedly spotted at the beach. He would listen so passionately, as if he really was believing everything that his energetic child had to tell him, but now that he remembered it, his dad would look away from Hiashi for just a second and look at his mother, who would shake her head slightly as a warm smile graced her lips. 

His mother and father had been with him when it first happened. That evening, they were shopping for new school things for Hiashi, since summer was coming to a close. He was going into third grade that year; it had been just that summer when he had started learning to play the piano. He was so very content banging out the strangled tones of the music, completely oblivious to the horrid sounds he was making. But his parents would watch him and listen to his "playing" as if it were the most beautiful thing that they had ever heard, as if they believed their son to be a musical prodigy. Hiashi had been begging to go back to the music store and get another book full of songs for him to play since he felt that he had mastered the first one already. He saw no point in buying new clothes, shoes, and pencils for him since they'd all get dirty, worn out, and worn down, but his parents had insisted and when they dragged him into a shoe store. They had just bought him a new pair of sneakers, which Hiashi carried out of the store proudly without bothering to put the shoebox into a bag, when he suddenly stopped and the box tumbled out of his arms. He felt like his arm had just gone to sleep and became immobile, causing him to drop his prized shoes. But when he saw the thick stream of blood trailing down his arm from his shoulder… Something sharp dug into his thigh, while his vision became hazy and eventually faded completely. There was no culprit in any of the places that Hiashi was injured, but the blood and immobile joints were unmistakable. 

He blacked out completely them. The next thing h became of aware of, he was fighting to shield his eyes from the florescent lights of the ICU in the hospital. It had been nearly two days since he had fallen unconscious, but the pain was intolerable to little Hiashi as he squeezed his eyes shut, vainly trying to fight the tears, which were already streaming down his bandaged face. Not soon after had woken up, he had been bombarded by the questions of doctors and lawyers, but he couldn't understand them. It wasn't that the questions were complex, but rather, the fact that nothing would register in his mind other than the intense pain that seem to radiate from every pore of his young body. Several days passed like that and even though he often asked to see his mother or father, he was always denied. He hadn't know then, but he was being held in the custody of the state until it was proved that it was or was not a child abuse scandal; that's how he missed the nearly half a year of school in third grade. 

When he was finally permitted to go home, he had almost immediately been dragged to several different child psychologists and shrinks. It was always long and tedious, telling these rude, probing people everything he knew about the strange situation not too long ago And then they were betrayed by the very man they thought they could trust. After that, it was nothing but court cases, lawsuits, and division from his parents. He was once again held in state custody for over five months as each individual court case came and went, receiving his education from a large woman who wore much make-up, but she'd had gentle voice and a kind perseverance. Come to think of it, her voice reminded him of the voice that had escorted him to the car in his dream. Was it a dream? Hiashi's eyebrows furrowed, his train of thought was lost into the haze of a dream. The voice to him had always sounded familiar from someplace that he couldn't ever recall. Was that it, or was he just imaging things again? Maybe he was getting sick, and that's why things seemed so strange and unfounded? 

He sat up abruptly as a profound idea occurred to him. His foster parents had definitely been around longer than him, and must have had at least some knowledge of his original life. They wouldn't just adopt a little boy if they know nothing about why he alone in the first place, right? Pushing himself to his feet quickly, he strode across the room, yanked open the door, and nearly slammed it on the way out in his haste to find his mother or father.

"Mom! Dad! Where are you?" Hiashi called, tearing from one room to another and nearly sliding into a wall as he tried to turn sharply on a small carpet in the hallway. Using the wall as leverage, he shoved himself off of it and ran into the only other room on the level, the dining room. Hiashi had remembered his mother unpacking and arranging the china in the cabinet earlier that day, and was immensely disappointed to find no one in the room. Pausing for a moment, Hiashi took in a deep breath and called out again, "Mom! Dad! Is anyone home?" But instead of taking off immediately afterwards, he stood still and listened.  

"We're upstairs, Hiashi!" replied his mother's voice from one of the upper-level rooms. Hiashi grinned in satisfaction as he took off for the staircase, slipping again on the loose rug. But this time, he wasn't as lucky as to have time to push off the wall and slammed directly into it with a loud thud. Sliding down it seconds later, Hiashi's hand flew up to grip his forehead.  

"Ow, ow, ow!!" he wailed pitifully. He rubbed the back of his hand over the area where he'd smacked into the offensive wall , tried to ease the throbbing pain. "Ow…" groaning, he pushed himself back to his feet, squinting out from under his arm that was held protectively against his head. 

"Hiashi?" a voice called from the upstairs. "Are you okay? We heard a crash.."

Hiashi glared in the vicinity of the upstairs room, but being upset with himself rather than his parents. Why hadn't he just checked upstairs first? It would have saved him some time and a collision with the wall. Sighing, he allowed his shoulder to slump and stepped cautiously through the hallway, being particularly mindful of any loose rugs or blankets on the wooden floor. Climbing the steps, he peered into each room as he passed and eventually found his parents hanging up a framed photo in the extra room upstairs that had been deemed the television room.. Hiashi watched them curiously for a second, smiling when he remembered the origin of the picture that they were hanging. It had been a really hot day when the picture was taken. He, his mother and father had been at a family reunion and for Hiashi, it was more like a family introduction. He honestly didn't know anyone there save those who had visited his house while in town, a grand total of about three relatives. What had actually bothered him the most wasn't that fact that he didn't know anyone, but the fact that everyone knew him…

Unbeknownst to him as the tender age of seven was the truth that family members do often communicate with each other and exchange photos, and his parents had apparently done a very thorough job of introducing him to the family without him ever realizing it. The man who had taken the photo had been his mother's cousin, a short balding man with strange eyebrows, but a hearty laugh and generous attitude, especially when it came to cameras. He had insisted that he get a picture of the three of them, Hiashi, his mother, and father, and the photo that his parents were hanging was the result. From the moment it was developed, it had been a favorite and Hiashi's dad even carried a smaller version of it in his wallet; to remind himself of better times, Hiashi supposed…

After the incident, though, he hadn't really seen much of anyone else in the family, and it was this thought that he was reflecting on when Hiashi's parents decided to acknowledge his presence. His eyes were gazing absently at the floor, while traces of sad emotions swam through their dark blue depths and his mouth was set in a bitter frown. 

"Hiashi, what's wrong?" his mother asked, setting the hammer down on the sofa nearby. When Hiashi didn't even look up, she grew more concerned and swiftly crossed the room. When she stood in front of her son and he still didn't seem to notice her, she reached up and brushed her hand over his cheek. This caused him to blink and start a little, but surprise was replaced by relief as Hiashi grasped the hand that was stroking his face firmly in one of his own. 

"I'm glad I found you!" he announced to his mother happily, giving her hand a slight squeeze before releasing it. "There's something that I'd like to talk to you about sometime, so when you could find a free moment…" he trailed off, suddenly wondering if the subject of his adoption would bring up bad memories. 

"Oh, all right, Hiashi. I suppose it's time for a lunch break." She glanced at her small wristwatch. "Oh, my goodness! It's already well past four! I think it would be better to just start dinner." She smiled at her husband apologetically, regretting missing their lunch. He just nodded and turned back to the framed photo, looking at it this way and such as if he were looking for something he might have lost inside it. 

"Why don't you help me downstairs?" Hiashi mother asked, turning towards the doorway. "We could talk about whatever you want to then."

Hiashi nodded in agreement and silently followed his mother to the kitchen on the lower level, being mindful once again on the carpet he slipped twice on already. As they walked downstairs, Hiashi watched his mother, or specifically her hair. It used to be a very long veil of cascading black, but she had cut it a few years back and it was now a short bob that always bounced joyfully at even the slightest movement. He had missed the long tresses when they were first cut. As strange as it was, he had enjoyed playing with his mother's long hair when he was younger, trying to braid it and twist it this way and that. She had been amazingly tolerant of his tugging and tangling, always regarding him with warm brown eyes. However, when she had had to re-enter the business world, she had traded it all for a shorter, more sophisticated hair-do that framed her round face near perfectly. 

One of the things that Hiashi personally couldn't understand about his mom as why she hadn't dropped out of the business word when his father's job was once again stable and they were certain that he made more than enough money for them to live comfortably off of. Was it because she somehow realized that her husband's job wasn't as steady as needed? Or that she missed being part of business? Or maybe she just didn't want to be home so often anymore, so often around her son? Had she decided that he no longer needed her love and support? Or was she afraid that something as terrible as before would happen again and she would be held responsible? He sighed, shaking his head. All of these questions weighting his mind, day by day, but he would never day ask them. He would be afraid to dream about the awful reaction that it would cause form his parents. If it meant them being happier, he would stop breathing. That day, when it happened, it was his fault. No one ever said so, but he knew it. There was no point burdening others with his irregularities. 

I'm a freak… I can't control my own body sometimes. I feel like I'm never truly alone, even if I'm the only one home! I get injuries without a cause. Do I do it to myself? Do I want to hurt myself, so I do it without even realizing it? Why must I be such a burden to the only people who care about me? Why can't I just be normal? Why must I always be so much trouble? 

"Hiashi? Are you all right, honey? Hiashi!" 

Someone was calling him. Blinking out of his reverie, Hiashi found himself staring dumbly into his mother's worried eyes, which appeared to be on the verge of tears. He gasped, bringing his hands up to rest on her shoulders in attempt to comfort her. She looked away quickly.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Hiashi asked, letting go of her. She inhaled deeply as she tried to resettle her nerves and then slowly lifted her chin to meet his eyes again.

"I should be asking you that. You've been acting so strange since we moved here! I'm begging to get worried! First you just completely vanish for an entire morning, come home wearing bloody clothes, then act like you don't even know me, and then you disappear again for an entire afternoon! Now you've been skulking around like you're afraid of your own shadow! Was it the shock of moving? Did something happen that day? Hiashi, what's going on?" she demanded, clenching her small hands at her sides as her eyes narrowed into slits, obviously annoyed with her only son. 

Hiashi opened his mouth, trying to find the words to say something, something that would make everything all right. But when no words came, he hung his head pathetically and awkwardly lied, "I've just had a lot on my mind lately." Good! Perfect!, he applauded himself sarcastically. Since you don't know what's going on either, you'll just cover it up with something completely different  and screw everyone over even worse! There's no way I'll ever find out what I need to know now. He chanced stealing a glimpse of his mother's reaction and quickly diverted his gaze as he saw her tear-brimmed eyes. You moron, look what you've done! It's your fault, it always has been. 

Hiashi bit his lip hard, trying to keep his own frustration with himself in check. How could he do such a thing! Why couldn't he have just kept his mouth shut?!

"What's been bothering you?" a soft voice inquired, wavering ever so slightly. 

"Mother?" he questioned, being taken off-guard by her unexpected response to his behavior. She was looking at him attentively, her lips sealed tightly together in a way that seemed to silently say, "It's your turn to say something now." And Hiashi took a hint, cleared his throat, and began his explanation as quickly as he could, hoping to leave any doubts behind him.

"Lately, I've just been wondering about- Well, you know, where I came from? I know that I'm adopted, so that means that I must have had a different life before I was taken into this family, right? You and Dad wouldn't have chosen me if you knew nothing about me, and I just wanted to know about what my life was like before; who my parents were, where I used to live, if I had any siblings?"

He stopped abruptly. Where had that last question come from, "Do I have any siblings?" He knew he didn't, didn't he? His parents would have adopted them as well as to not separate the remains an already torn family, right? Right…? He could feel butterflies flutter in his stomach, his desperate heart needing the answers more than ever. The answers to who he was… 

"You used to live in this very city," she said nonchalantly, but Hiashi could see the concealed emotions of pain and regret flash in the depths of her dark eyes. "You didn't have a happy life, Hiashi. I hoped you'd never ask me about it, but it was a silly hope, wasn't it? Everyone has the right to know where they came from, I guess…"

I used to live here? This was my home? Does that mean that that old house is… was my house? Is that where I spent the first years of my life? Why did I leave it, though? What happened?

"Anyway, at the time, your father and I were looking for a child to adopt, ideally one between the age of two years old to four, and when your report came in, you were three. We traveled all the way across the country just to meet this cute little boy that we had nothing mare than a photo and the age of. You didn't like us at first- did you know that? You would sulk in the corner of the room and barely even talk to us! We were going to continue searching for another child then, until we found out what happened to this poor little boy." 

She paused, swallowing hard as she fought back her tears. Looking away from Hiashi the second her eyes met his, she hastily started up again. "Your birth-mother was murdered, Hiashi, by your own father. He was a drunkard, and was in that state when he did it. He committed suicide nearly directly afterward, or at least, that was what was reported. You were found asleep cuddled in the arms of you dead mother, unresponsive to anything. You were in shock, the doctors said." She looked at him with a pained look on her face as she sobbed, "My God, Hiashi, you were just a baby! You didn't deserve a life like that, no one deserves a life like that! That's why we couldn't leave you alone. We loved you before you even knew who we were!"

"Mother…" Hiashi choked out, feeling hot tears streaming down his own cheeks as well. He didn't care, though. He was too busy embracing his mother's trembling frame. "You don't have to say anything more," he told her, his way of saying "please don't say anymore if it will hurt you."

But she just shook her head, pushing herself out of his arms. Forcing a fragile smile, she weakly retorted: "You need to know. Everyone needs to know who they are, right? You're no different. You need to know- you deserve to know. Do you think me a bad mother, keeping this from you for so long?"

He was breathing heavily, forcing his mind to register his mom's question that seemed more like a plea. He looked at her tenderly and attempted a small smile of his own, something that would be to tell her that it's all right. He failed miserably, though. Who couldn't if they had just found out he did, though? It was impossible to be happy, but for the sake of the woman who had loved and raised him…

"Mama, it's fine. I'll never say anything about it again, if it makes you sad," he told her reassuringly, using the term "Mama" to show his affection and the truth that he still loved her as much as ever.  Had he been reluctant to start calling her that, though? When he thought about it… He shook off the thought, embracing her tighter as he whispered, "Thank you."

With that, he releasing his hold and walked quickly out of the room without another word. When he disappeared completely from sight, Hiashi's mother continued to stare after him blankly. Her tears still ran unconfined and unheeded down her face, leaving dark trails from where her eye-makeup had smeared. She sighed and drew in a ragged breath, trying to compose herself when a sudden thought recurred to her. Her eyes darting to the doorway again, she called, "Hiashi! Wait!"

But he was already gone, and what she had to say wasn't pleasant, so she dismissed the idea and turned away towards the cabinet to find something for dinner. Under her breath, though, she whispered, "Hiashi, you used to have a sibling, I think... A brother, but when it happened, he wasn't found; that is, if he even existed. But it was just a rumor, Hiashi. There is no one else- you're my only little boy."

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Hiashi wandered from one room to the next, distractedly and haphazardly. So, that's that my life was like? That was the secret that I'd thought about ever since I could remember? I was a burden then, too. That's how I ended up and orphan, an abandoned, pitied child. He groaned, clutching his head and shaking it violently. I can't take this right now! I need something to take my mind off this already! I'm sick of wallowing in self-pity and being forced to take care of other people before I can even think about myself! I just want to be myself, with someone who doesn't expect to be some perfect person that I can't ever be!

In his haste to rid his mind of the awful thoughts that plagues it, Hiashi hadn't noticed the precariously balancing box until it was to late. He collided into it, send both him and the box to the floor. 

"Ow," Hiashi stated, rolling off his stomach to gaze at the ceiling like he had been doing earlier that day. It felt like forever since he was laying like this, staring blankly at the ceiling for the lack of better things to do. He was almost certain that he would have been happier like that, without ever knowing the god-forsaken truth about his first home. His thoughts were broken as something dug into his back, causing him to yelp as his eyes widened and he say up with record speed.

"What the he- The phone?"

A sudden, very welcome idea entered his mind and Hiashi smiled the first true smile of the day, being immeasurably relieved, a she scrambled off, looking for a phone jack, and his dirty pair of pants.

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"Like this, Yui?"  Kokuei inquired, continuing coating the skillet with more than enough cooking spray to sufficiently cover four of a larger size. 

"Uh huh," she said absently, her eyes scanning the recipe book for the appropriate ingredients. She somehow didn't seem to notice the inappropriate amount of time Kokuei spent greasing the pan. "Yeah, go ahead and a preheat the skillet.  So we need…"

"Is this okay?" Kokuei asked again, turning the electric stove on full power under the metal pan. 

"Yeah," she said again, not really paying attention to what her cooking-illiterate companion was doing without her knowing. And then suddenly, SWOOSH!! This did, however, get her attention and she turned to see Kokuei cowering all the way across the kitchen from the stove, where three-foot flames were sprouting form the oil-saturated skillet.

"Kokuei!" she yelled, wondering what in the hell he had done to ignite such a grease fire. Wasting no time, though, she crossed the small kitchen hastily and retrieved the fire extinguisher form underneath the sink. She was just about to tell the terrified Kokuei to come and help her when the phone rang. 

"I'll get it!" he announced a little too quickly, using it as an excuse to escape the kitchen war zone as Yui glowered at his quickly retreating back. Kokuei found the phone in its cradle outside of Yui's bedroom door and he picked it up, searching for the button that would turn it on. It rang again just as Kokuei found the button and he grinned proudly as he said, "Hello?"

"Hello?"

Kokuei pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it curiously. Was there an echo? Shrugging, he tired again: "Hello?"

"Hello?"

"Um... Hi?"

"Is there an echo?" the voice questioned at the same time as Kokuei, causing them both to start slightly.

"Uh, echo?"

"Echo?"

"…"

"Is this Yui's apartment?" the voice asked, faltering slightly when he asked for Yui.

"Yui's apartment? Yeah," Kokuei answered, feeling as though he were talking into microphone that simply repeated everything he said.

"Give me that!" Yui demanded, glaring dangerously at Kokuei and holding out her hand, palm-up. Kokuei laughed nervously and handed her the phone, running to safety in another room as soon as she took the phone.

"Hello?" 

"Yui! It's finally you! Who was that guy who was talking before? He was kind of strange… This is Hiashi, by the way."

"Oh, hi, Hiashi!" Yui exclaimed, glancing around the room nervously while praying that Kokuei was out of earshot. What a great first impression for them to get of each other! She sighed before saying into the phone, "So, what's up?"

"Um… Well, I was just wondering if maybe you were free tomorrow? I was hoping that we could go sightseeing around the city together?"

Yui paused, thinking about the possibility. If she could teach Kokuei about a few things not to do to kitchen appliances by then… She smiled. It would be nice to get out, especially with Hiashi. She fought the urge to giggle like a junior-high girl as she replied excitedly, "Sure! I'd love to! Ddi you have any specific plans?"

"Well, I was hoping to take a ferry to Ellis Island, and then maybe climb up, but if not, just grab some pizza for lunch or something instead? Maybe we could even see…"

Yui just smiled as she listened, already anticipating the great day she was definitely going to have tomorrow! Oh, Hiashi… she thought, hardly containing her excitement. I'm ready to go now! I can't wait for tomorrow!

Meanwhile, from the other room, Kokuei listened attentively to Yui's conversation with his "echo." It wasn't that he was eavesdropping, but rather the fact that he could have sworn he heard the name "Hiashi." It sounded so familiar… Where in the world had he heard that name before? It was recent, wasn't it? He furrowed his brow as he recalled the predicament just the other day. Wait a second…Wasn't Hiashi the name… that she had called him…?

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All right! Finally, a chapter about Hiashi! I'm actually adding this chapter so that Hiashi can be more understood as a character because I realized that I've been horribly neglected him. So, what are you in for in the next chapter? Here's a short preview: "Hiashi and Yui go out on their first date! But how will Kokuei respond to Yui's leaving? Will he be okay on his own, in Yui's apartment?" 

Anyway, just so you know, the eighteenth on August was my birthday, so I'm sincerely hoping to go a bundle of late birthday presents in the form of reviews, especially review number 100! I think I'm going to try to reward the one-hundredth reviewer, so if it's you, please e-mail me and let me know! If you don't e-mail me, I'll probably bug you about it anyway, so beware. ^^ Perhaps so one could give me some good ideas about what to do? If not, that's fine, too. … I wonder if anyone ever even reads these long notes? ^.^ Ja!

-Kaen ^^


	12. Mornings with Kokuei

Nijuusei

Chapter 12: Mornings with Kokuei

By Kaen

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Can you believe it? I've got 105 reviews! I'm so happy! I'm also starting to get back a _few of those of you I lost over my period of incredible laziness. ^^& I'm so sorry! I'm feeling the pain, too, though… Since then, I haven't heard from at least four of my previously loyal fans. T_T Where are you all? Come back! I still need you! … Ahem… Yes, the new chapter. Do read it, please._

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"You're not going to sleep with me tonight?"

Yui cringed, doing her best to comprehend the question as something completely innocent. After all, the whiny, child-like voice was enough to convince anyone that that was all it was. She sighed and turned back towards the living room where Kokuei perched on a sofa, peering over the top with little more than his wide puppy-eyes visible. They shimmered hopefully, amplified by the dimmer lighting of the evening. Directly below his right eye, however, a wide smudge of ash adorned his cheek. It was all that remained of the first attempt at dinner, where Yui had learned that three-foot flames were capable of shooting out of an eight-inch frying pan. She had found the little smear unthinkably adorable, so she had taken the liberty of not telling him that it was there and had snickered throughout all of dinner, which had consisted of simple microwavable foods.

"I'm going to have a busy day tomorrow, Kokuei," she explained, desperately trying to counter the guilt trip with one of her own as she pouting herself. "I can't stay up late tonight."

He looked hurt as he shrunk behind the sofa, hiding everything but his hands that were holding on to the back of the sofa and a golden-brown tuft of hair. 

"You're not going to sleep here?" After a few seconds, the idea seemed to have settled itself in his mind. He straightened back up, providing Yui with a full view of his face, still down-turned in disappointment.  They remained like that for a fair amount of time, both struggling for a lead over the other's pitiful facade. Finally, Kokuei looked away, sighing.

"Fine…" he breathed out, his shoulders slumping with the involuntary consent. His eyes looked away again as his lower lip trembled, and Yui made the mistake of feeling pity for him for just one brief and shining moment. But in the moment, she had already crossed the small room and had placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Unfortunately for her, from her position, Yui couldn't see the little smirk that had formed upon Kokuei's lips. Seizing the opportunity by seizing Yui's hand, he succeeded in pulling her off her feet and onto the sofa contraption. She fell directly on top of him and Kokuei wasted no time in wrapping his arms tightly around her, causing a startled cry to come from Yui. 

"Fine, you can go to your own room, but just for tonight," he said somewhat seductively into the hollow of her shoulder, since it was after all directly in front of him. 

Yui felt her heart rate leap as she was pressed to Kokuei, literally lying _on top of him. Not to mention the sultry words that had made the fine hairs on the back of her neck prickle as the warm breath cascaded over the sensitive skin. Her arms, pressed palm-down onto the cushion beneath them, began to quiver slightly under her own weight as she kept some of her heaviness off of him. The entire situation was causing all of her willpower to gradually slip away. When she felt like she was just about to give in to his pleads to sleep on the sofa beside him, he broke the compromising silence with a question that made Yui's heart race more rapidly, but out of nervousness rather than intimacy._

"So, you're going out tomorrow? Is it with a… friend?" he asked, sounding almost cautious; as if he were afraid of the answer. 

Yui couldn't see his face, but immediately understood his concern when the firm embrace began to weaken around her. _Kokuei, how could I ever tell you? How would you even understand? It's not every day that someone says to their roommate and friend, "Hi, I'm going to go out with your twin brother that you never knew existed. Hope you don't mind!" Yeah, that would go over great. But what to say…?_

"Yes, just a friend," She had tried to sound convincing, but her voice had wavered on the word "just" and she knew that I was a lost cause. Kokuei remained uncharacteristically silent and Yui had hoped and had been almost convinced that he had dropped the subject, but her desperate wish was squashed by only five words.

"Your friend's name is Hiashi?"

"No!" she jumped, shifting her weight to be more balanced on her knees since Kokuei's grip had been weakening and eventually totally detached. "His name isn't 'Hiashi!' Where did you get _that idea, Kokuei! His name is… um, 'Ashi!' You know, 'Hi, Ashi!'"_

"'Hi, Ashi,'" he repeated slowly, seeming somehow unconvinced. He raised an eyebrow in skepticism and Yui laughed nervously. "Um… Yui, doesn't 'Ashi' mean 'leg' or 'evil'? Ashi, the evil leg…?" He bit his lip, his brow creasing in some emotion of incredulousness.

"He has cruel parents?" She reasoned, knowing that she was loosing the battle and wondering why in the world Kokuei of all people knew what "Ashi" literally meant.  But the thought in itself along with Kokuei's comical expression was really quite entertaining and Yui found herself chuckling at the strange revelation. Soon, Kokuei was laughing along with her and the previous solemn conversation seemed to have been long forgotten. Taking the moment of lightened atmosphere to her advantage, Yui pushed herself up off Kokuei, crawled off of the couch-bed, and stealthily made her way to her bedroom, one tiny step at a time. However, these actions appeared to have jarred Kokuei out of his little state of humor and he sat up, looking at her with large, watery eyes.

"You're leaving me now?" he half-asked, half-whined. Yui cringed for the second time in that evening and turned around to face him. She crossed her arms defensively, her face set in a mock-scowl. When she discovered that it did nothing to soften Kokuei's stubborn resolve, she lowered her arms and stepped over to the sofa.

Leaning down until her lips were almost touching his ear, she whispered, "Unless you have something else you'd like to try to seduce me…"

He yelped and scooted away from her, crouching in a little ball on the opposite end of the couch. "Who said anything about s-seduction?!" he stuttered, string wide-eyes at Yui. She kept up with her game though and leaned over the arm of the sofa, _way over the arm of the sofa. She watched his view sink from her face to her chest, but did nothing to stop him. After all, it was just part of the game, and she was wearing a high-necked shirt, so… She smirked, but for some reason, Kokuei didn't catch it…_

Continuing on in the same voice, Yui said just barely above a whisper, "That was what you were trying to do earlier, wasn't it…?"

He blinked rapidly, tearing his gave away and flopped back onto the sofas. In th process, his clamped shut his mouth that had been hanging open a little. 

"No-ooo…" he argued, whining again. Even despite his lame retort, the bright red blush marred his cheekbones and nose, forming a near perfect arch.

"Kokuei…" Yui moved until she was practically over him, but he looked away in embarrassment. "Kokuei," she said again, grasping his jaw in her hand and forcing him to look at her. "Kokuei, I'm just joking."

He started, opening his mouth in protest of her cruel playing (in his opinion), but could do nothing but let his mouth hang open in disbelief like that as no words of counter came to mind. Yui giggled when she saw his expression, which offended him even more. She shook head, and then she leaned her face in close to Kokuei's, planting a soft kiss on the side of his face. He felt the warm, gentle sensation caress his cheek, making his eyes widen in surprise and disbelief. But as soon as it had begun, it ended as Yui pulled away and ran her hand over the area. 

"Good night, Kokuei," she said, smiling sweetly. Without looking back again, she turned away from him, walked the short distance to her room, and closed the door behind her with a soft click. Kokuei watched her leave, his mind forming no coherent thought as his hand cupped the side of his face where Yui had made the seemingly insignificant gesture. 

His midnight blue eyes glazed over in a mix of bliss and confusion, and so he said the only thing he could think of to bring himself out of the unfamiliar territory of emotions: "Good… night?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ring… Ring… Ring… 

"Ugh…" 

A hand found its way from underneath blankets, landing on the flat surface of the nightstand and fumbling for the imposing object that had disturbed the hands owner from its peaceful sleep. It succeeded in slamming down on the phone and gripping it tightly as the arm was retracted and the phone was raised to Yui's ear.

_Ri-_

"…Hello…?" she answered the phone drowsily, having been woken up by it not but seconds ago.

"_Yui! This is Hiashi again… I didn't wake you up, did I?" he said, adding the last sentence as almost an afterthought._

Yui glanced at the digital clock that brightly illuminated the numbers 8:22 A.M. 

"I needed to get up anyway!" she reassured him, sounding a little too energetic for the morning. She shrugged- it was forced enthusiasm anyway, so who cared is it didn't sound too terribly sincere? "So, what's up?"

"_I was just calling to see what time you'd like to get going today. I was kind of hoping that we'd be able to spend the day together, but if you're busy or anything-"_

"I'm free the entire day! Don't worry about it," Yui chirped, a brief flashback of Kokuei setting the cooking oil-saturated pan on fire entering her mind. She shrugged it off; it was too early for such thoughts.  

"_Really? Great! It's been really stressful here at home, so I'd really like to get out and do something fun to get my mind off of it for a while. I'm so happy you're going to come with me that you wouldn't believe it!"_

"Mm-hmm, I'm happy to be going, too, but right now I need to get ready to go out. I guess I'll meet you in the apartment lobby at… say, 10:00?" _That ought to be enough time to explain certain things you don't do to Kokuei, and also enough time to get a shower and make myself look nice, she thought silently to herself._

"_10:00's fine! I'll see you then?"_

"Yep, see you then. Bye for now!" she offered as a conversation closer, which Hiashi accepted.

"_All right. Bye!" _

There was a click form the other end of the line that signified that Hiashi had hung up so Yui grudgingly put the phone back in its cradle and sat up in bed. Stretching her arms above her head and emitting a soft, sleepy groan, she began to plan what she would wear on her "first date" Hiashi. _And while I'm at it, what should I teach Kokuei before I go? She paused in her thoughts. __That one's a little more difficult, especially after that cooking incident… _

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"Su-Kokuei!" Yui called into the living room as she passed by, hoping to rouse her friend in order to tell him of her plans and barely catching herself in time from calling the wrong name. 

The morning was taking its toll, as even appropriate names beyond her reach. She hung her head miserably as she fought with the jacket sleeve, finding it difficult to get her arm inside the tangles mass. She growled at it, but abruptly stopped. She felt as though someone was watching her… Turning slowly to the living room again, she met the familiar sight of two large midnight blue eyes, wide, curious, and staring directly at her. 

"Good morning," she said awkwardly, gazing at the precarious sight of Kokuei tousled honey-brown hair obscuring his eyes. The sofa covered the rest of his face, and as it was the night before, one could only see the pair of curious, inquisitive orbs. Several second passed and nothing more happened than Yui staring at Kokuei, and him staring directly back.

"You sleep in late," Kokuei commented, shattering the thick silence. 

He rolled his back as he straightened it, stretching his arms in the opposite direction and sticking out his flat chest. Which is when Yui noticed…

"You don't have a shirt on!" she remarked, her eyes widening at the shock. 

He looked at her curiously once again, then looked down at himself, and back at her.

"So I don't," 

"Kokuei, I thought we got you pajamas yesterday!" she argued, annoyed at his carelessness. 

It wasn't that she was complaining that he didn't have a shirt on, but rather the fact that he had one for that exact purpose and deliberately chose not to wear it. He pouted, sitting back on the sofa's comfortable cushions.

"But I can't wear clothes like that to _sleep_ in!" he replied, gesturing towards the neat pile of clothes on the floor. There sat a gray tee shirt and a pair of… pants? She looked to Kokuei peculiarly, lowering her gaze to the clothing adorning the lower part of his body. Yui sighed, running a hand through her shoulder-length hair. 

"You don't _need_ to sleep in your boxers, Kokuei. We got you pajamas for the purpose of you _sleeping_ in them, so you shouldn't put them away when you go to bed!" she explained, watching his face take on the expression of one who has might just have been told that it was all right to walk down the street completely naked. 

"But…" Kokuei protested weakly. 

"No 'but's! Now I guess it's too late to have you put on you pajamas, but I would appreciate it if you'd get dressed. We need to talk about something when you're done, all right?"

"Okay!" he agreed, practically leaping off of the small couches. 

He immediately dove for the tidy stack of clothing in the corner of the room by the television, sifting through them with an expression of content on his face. Meanwhile, Yui watched him and was lost in her own secret thoughts. _So, he doesn't like the idea of sleeping in clothes, ne? That's fine with me! Well, except for the fact that he really should sleep in pajamas… But still! I'm not going to complain! He just can't know that I have no objections…_She laughed softly to herself, biting her tongue to keep form giggling too loud. When Kokuei was just about finished picking an outfit, the shrill sound of the phone pierced the comfortable quiet. 

"Oi… I'll be right back," Yui announced as she dashed into her bedroom to answer the phone. She picked up the phone out of it's cradle for the second time that morning and answered, "Hello?" as she was sitting down on the bed. 

"_Hey, Yui! This is Hiashi again. I just wanted to say that I'm ready to go whenever you are_."

"Oh, hi! Sure, that's sounds great!" Yui turned her back to the doorway, mentally cursing herself for forgetting to close the door behind her. "Um… So, where are you now?"

"_I'm outside of your apartment complex. I'm using the payphone by the building, because I don't now how to get inside…_"

"I see. Well, I'll be right down then! See you in a few minutes!" she offered as her farewell and hung up the phone before he could protest. She knew it was kind of rude to do such a thing, and she normally wouldn't of, except for the fact the Kokuei was standing in the doorway, looking rather perplexed. 

"I need to go now," Yui stated flatly, leaving no room for protest. 

Kokuei nodded slowly, showing that he understood and stepped away from the door as Yui pushed herself off of the bed and exited the small room. He watched silently as she gazed into the small mirror suspended on the wall while doing a last-minute check up, he supposed. When Yui seemed satisfied, she turned back to Kokuei.

"Don't play with the stove, don't put anything in the microwave, leave the blender alone, and for god's sake, don't touch the cooking oil!" she ordered, staring him down as to press in each and every word. 

He swallowed nervously and nodded.

"Do you understand?" she asked, reinforcing her point again.

He nodded again, his hands trembling slightly at his sides.

"Good," Yui declared, walking off towards the door to the hall. She sighed, and on a more civil note, turned around and said, "You might get bored here alone; I'm really sorry that you need to stay, but it's just that it would be kind of… well…"

"Unpleasant?" Kokuei offered, scowling at the floor.

"No! It would just be uncomfortable, you see? My friend doesn't know you, and it would be strange to bring along a complete stranger to him. You see?"

"Yeah. So, when will you be back?" he questioned, changing the subject.

"Uh, probably between five and six, I'm guessing. But there are some things to do around here, as well! There's the television," she explained, pointing to the TV in the corner. "And I also have tons of books and magazines around if you'd like to read them! Anyway, I really need to go now; my friend's waiting for me!"

Kokuei seemed as though he was about to say something, but quickly cut himself off. He instead settled for raising his eyes, smiling, and saying: "I hope you have a good time, Yui. Just… be careful, all right?"

"You know I will be! I'll see you later, okay?" she replied, but before Kokuei could even answer, she was already out the door. 

Yui never turned to listen to his response, or see the forced smile fade from his face. The door clicked shut and he was left alone, with nothing to do except eye the pile of college textbooks in the entryway. A look of deep thought fell upon his face, as if he were fighting an inner battle. He stood there silently for several seconds in this introspective state, until he heard the maids' cart rattle by. Finally, he sighed loudly and plopped down cross-legged next top the stack, grabbed the closest book, opened it in his lap, and proceeded to flip through it, pausing on occasion to look at a picture of interest, a picture with a caption that he couldn't read. 

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*sweatdrops* Okay, so I lied… I'm sorry! I swear that this thing is writing itself! This was supposed to be the date chapter, but now… I promise I'll get to it in the next chapter! It'll be an entire _chapter_ dedicated to Hiashi and Yui, instead of just half of one like this one was _supposed_ to be. 

Anyway, congratulations **Beach Fradis **on hitting the one-hundredth review! I honestly can't think of a person that deserves it more than the person who gave me the one lone review for chapter one that kept this story going. I can't say what the reward is yet, but I'll just say that it's a work in progress. Please expect in a week or less! 

Finally, I'm just going to beg you all to review just like I always do, so… Please review! I still love you! I still need you! I adore every kind review that I've ever gotten! And thank you all for staying with this story as long as you have! 

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	13. A New Place, A New Home

Nijuusei

Chapter 13: A New Place, A New Home

By Kaen

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All right! Another new chapter! And as I sit here and wait for ten more pages of pictures to print, I figured I might as well make good use of the otherwise wasted time. Yeah, if you ever want to kill your printer, computer and waste ink all in one, try doing what I'm doing… Did I mention that I'm blasting _Kaze no Uta _as well? I'm just too lazy to change the song, I think. ^^& Oh well. Enjoy! ^^

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"Hiashi! Hiashi, where are you?" a voice called from the downstairs. 

Hiashi blinked, looking away from the wall where he had been hanging up a framed poster. When he heard his name again, he dropped the nails that he had been holding with his teeth into a awaiting hand. He set down the hammer on his bed as he walked to the doorway.

"I'm in my room, Mom!" Hiashi finally responded, leaning out of the doorway as he held on to the frame behind him. He usually wasn't so slow to respond, but after what he had just been told… Well, it's a lot to digest in just an hour. 

He heard hustled footsteps on the stairs and soon he saw the flustered face of his mother, tinted pink from her haste. She was breathing rapidly, as if she had just run a marathon rather than up the staircase. It was then that Hiashi noticed the traces of wetness around her wide eyes, and he immediately knew something was amiss.

"Mother, what's wrong?" he asked her gently, guiding her by the arm into his room. She allowed him to help her sit on his still unmade bed where she stayed for a minute and caught her breath while her son waited patiently for her response. 

Looking up into his concerned eyes, she inhaled deeply and sighed, allowing her gaze to stray. "Hiashi," she started softly, barely above a whisper. "We just received a phone call from your father's new company. They apologized for the short notice, but…"

Hiashi's brow creased in worry as he tried to determine what his mother's unfinished story meant. But he didn't have to think about it too long before his mother completeded his thoughts for him. 

"We're going on a business trip to get acquainted with you father's new business alliances in Dallas. His company really needed a representative there at that meeting, and they said that they had no one else that was currently qualified to attend. Please try to understand how sorry we are that we have to leave already-" 

"Why must _you_ go, though!?" Hiashi asked, uncharacteristically indignant, as he didn't realizing the reason that his mother would have to leave as well. He cringed internally at how rough his question sounded; he hadn't meant it to come across as so… imposing. 

But instead of looking shocked at not only her son's question but tone of voice, the small woman gazed on sadly as she explained, a strained sad smile on her lips, "I've decided to work for a while as well, Hiashi. When we were in California, your father's job provided us with more than enough income. Now, however, we need as much money as we can get to live off of if something happens where we may be required to move again…" She paused, carefully considering what else should be said. Upon finding nothing more, she stated flatly: "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning, probably before you're even awake."

"'Tomorrow morning'?!" he echoed, his eyes wide with disbelief. 

His mother nodded slowly, not looking up to see the expression on Hiashi's face. "There's nothing open for discussion anymore; the plan is already set and permanent. So please, don't make this any harder than is already is."

Hiashi opened his mouth to protest, but forced himself to remain silent, his hand clenching tightly the few nails in his palm, upon seeing the tears returning to her lowered eyes. He did nothing more than stare silently as his distraught mother pushed herself off of the bed and excused herself from his bedroom. After a couple minutes of her leaving, Hiashi picked up the hammer and resumed pounding the metal nails into the wall, although probably with a bit more force than was actually necessary. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was this event that kept on playing in his mind over and over again as he paced distractedly in front of Yui's apartment complex. He was stuck alone already; he hadn't even lived in the house for a week yet! How could his parents expect him to manage with absolutely _no_ knowledge of his surroundings? He furrowed his brow, growling softly in the back of his throat. They said that they'd be away for about two weeks, which is quite a long time when you have no idea what you're supposed to be doing. Sure, he had been left home alone like this before, but such events were rare and he had had a familiar home then. How could they expect him to be all right by himself, right now?! Why would they trust him to be alone right now, anyway? He thought that they had been upset with him with the unexplained disappearance! And such was the chaos of his mind, making him more than distracted enough for Yui to approach him without his noticing. 

She snickered silently as she snuck up behind Hiashi, laughing more at his strange expressions that were probably meant to be seriousness. She would sympathize with him later, she was certain, but now wasn't the time for it and she threw her arms around his waste from behind, embracing him in a greeting hug. He jumped, not expecting the sudden contact, but relaxed slightly and squirmed in the embrace until he was facing her. He brushed a few strands of loose hair away from her face and returned her playful smile.

"Ohayo gozaimasu," he greeted her.

She responded before actually thinking about what he had just said; "Good Morning…" But she quickly realized what he had just said and stepped back, looking at him strangely. 

"Uh, I heard you on the phone the other night," he explained. "My mother is mostly Japanese and speaks the language near fluently. She taught me some things in it, too, so…"

"Oh! I understand now!" Yui's smile returned to her face, serving as a mask of her real emotions. _His mother? But wouldn't he and Kokuei have the _same_ mother? Was Kokuei abandoned, or maybe his memories were just a dream…? No, they were way to realistic for him; I could tell by the look in his eyes, like a ghost haunting his soul._

Her stomach growled loudly and Yui flushed out of embarrassment. She had forgotten to eat breakfast in her hurry, and her stomach wasn't happy about it! She laughed nervously, wrapping an arm around her midsection to try and damper the sounds. Hiashi's eyes widened for a second, but then brightened in laugher.

"Did you not eat, Yui?" he asked between chuckles, resting a hand on his hip.

She looked at him dumbfounded for a second, surprised at the fact that he _laughed_ at her! It wasn't that she wasn't a little surprised herself; usually it was Miaka who had the loud stomach and unrivaled appetite. 

"I forgot to eat breakfast," she confessed, her eyes downcast, but out of embarrassment or playfulness, neither one was sure. Hiashi smiled good-naturedly, took a couple of steps to Yui's side, and wrapped an arm loosely around her shoulders. She looked at him curiously, unconsciously blushing slightly at the contact of their bodies, as casual as it may have been.

"Well, come on then!" he announced, raising his voice in cheerfulness.

"Where to?" Yui inquired, sweeping a few loose strands of hair behind her ear as they began walking. 

Hiashi tightened his arm around Yui for a second, in the general gist of a hug as he casually stated, "Out." 

She pouted at his vague response, which he only answered with a teasing wink. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kokuei watched the scene below him with a keen interest, while at the same time pretending not to be interested in Yui's "boyfriend." But nonetheless, his face was pressed up to the window, desperately trying to get a better view of the guy who had captured Yui's heart. Maybe if he watched long enough, he could win her affection as well? It was a long shot, especially since the two figures looked like ants below him! 

Beneath his hands, though, the glass was cool and smooth, fully efficient in keeping the cold air away from him and acted as a reminder of how grateful he should be to Yui even if he couldn't win her heart. He owed absolutely everything to her, so it would be perfectly natural to want to love her, right? But how was he supposed to do that with competition that could afford to take her on daylong dates? His brow creased, already welcoming a sense of rivalry and hatred between whoever had just taken his Yui away! However, perhaps it wasn't so much of an anger directed at Yui's date, but rather, an anger that is borne out of loneliness and envy. Kokuei cringed inwardly at the thought, leaning away from the window for he was no longer interested in the scenes below; Yui was no longer in them. He sighed heavily, feeling a sensation of despair and insignificance swell within his heart. He didn't welcome the feeling, but he was so accustomed to its presence that he hardly even acknowledged that he was harboring it. After all, it was all that he'd been aware of feeling since before he could even remember, wasn't it?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wow!" she half-exclaimed, half-squealed. "Look at how nice this place is! And all the food, too…" she trailed off, suddenly be reminded of how much like Miaka was she acting. 

Hiashi, on the other hand, just smiled with satisfaction at Yui's obvious enthusiasm. When she had mentioned not having breakfast earlier, he had suddenly recalled a restaurant that he and his family had passed on their first trip to the new house. He had probably passed it by about twice before he had remembered its location, but with Yui, it hadn't even bothered him. Just chatting with her about this and that made even the time that he had spent absently driving around pleasurable. He stole a glance at her as she looked over the menu, her eyes pausing on one spot once and a while and then quickly moving on. It looked as though she were concentrating so hard that he couldn't resist a small laugh. This private thought's result, however caught Yui's attention and she looked up at Hiashi with a quizzical gaze. 

"What's so funny?" she asked him, wondering if she had missed something.

"Nothing at all!" Hiashi hastily replied, stifling his laughter. 

Yui looked at him skeptically, but instead of questioning him again like he had thought she would, she simply shoved her menu towards him with her index finger indicating an item on the menu. "All right! If you're not going to tell me what was so funny to you, then why don't you tell me what this is?" 

Hiashi's eyes widened for a moment, surprised as her speed in changing the subject. He nodded awkwardly, allowing his eyes to sink down to the menu held before him. He read it quickly and looked up at Yui, explaining, "It's Belgian waffles with a poached egg, and bacon or sausage links, depending on your choice. It also comes with orange juice and coffee, because of what it says up here." Her pointed to the top of the section where it announced the complimentary entrees that came with every order form that section. 

Yui looked on observantly, absorbing everything he said like a sponge. Hiashi wondered why she had asked him, though. But before he had to ask, Yui explained, "I don't know every English word yet… Belgian waffles wasn't a term that I was familiar with, but they're what's in this picture, right?" She pointed to an image printed on the menu, waiting hopefully for Hiashi's reaction. 

"Yep, that's right." Yui smiled proudly at her small accomplishment, while it was Hiashi's turn to ask himself questions. _I wonder why Yui's in the US, given that she seems to be so much more acquainted with the Japanese life and language. Is she studying abroad? I guess it would make sense, but is that all there is to it…?_

The waiter approached their table and stood by it, pen and paper ready as he asked if they were ready to place their order. Yui and Hiashi traded confirmative glances, and Hiashi gestured for Yui to go first.

"I would like the breakfast classic number two with bacon, please." 

The waiter nodded and turned towards Hiashi as he finished scribbling down Yui's order.

"I'd like the fifth combination, please," Hiashi said politely, patiently waiting for the waiter to finish writing down the order.

"What type of toast would you like? We have white, wheat, sour dough, French-"

"-Wheat is fine," he said, relieving the tired-looking waiter of his regular speech. 

"All right! It'll be out soon," the waiter said with a obviously forced cheerfulness, tucking the small notepad into his apron pouch and turning away to attend other tables. 

As he walked away, Yui commented, "I feel bad for him. It must be terrible to have to be a waitress in the morning."

"Why's that?"

She crinkled up her nose, giving Hiashi the immediate urge to hug the adorable girl sitting just across the small table. She smiled sweetly and explained, "Can you just imagine getting up so early, and then having to deal with tired and cranky people? I know I couldn't do it!"

Hiashi laughed at her comment, readily agreeing with her. To be honest, he had never really pondered the situation of morning waiters. He smiled at Yui warmly, his chin propped attentively on his hand as he made a mental note to leave the waiter a more generous tip. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_So that's the internal structure of a horse, and that one's the skeletal structure. And that's a picture of…of… I have absolutely no idea what the hell_ that_ is! _Kokuei groaned, rolling over onto his stomach and laying the fat book flat on the floor. His naked feet swayed in the air above him as he rest his head on his hand. His eyes glared down at the mysterious picture on the page in what was probably a science book of sorts. Silence loomed over the small apartment with a sort of tenseness that even the bravest soul would be reluctant to shatter. And then…

A low rumbling noise resounded through the tiny room. Kokuei blinked, startled, and then pushed himself onto his hands and knees. Glaring down the neckline of the loose sweater, he scolded, "Be quiet! You were just fed yesterday, so you'll be fine for at _least_ another day! I don't have any food, so…" 

Silence once again blanketed the room as Kokuei's eyes wandered over to the tidy kitchen. His gaze fell first on the oven, then the sink, to the coffee machine on the counter, and then… the pantry. It was left slightly open, just daring him to come over and snatch something from its grasp. 

"She never said anything about the pantry," he chimed to himself, a sort of dazed expression falling over his features. 

Pushing off the carpeted floor, he skulked to the pantry. Reaching the entrance to the kitchen, he dropped on to all fours and proceeded to his goal in silence. No one was there to see him, but if the _was_, by God, they'd have a hard time spotting him! When he was within a foot of the pantry door, Kokuei sprung up and threw the door open, producing a loud squeak from the faded brass hinges. The squeak fell on deaf ears, however, for Kokuei was long gone. _So much food_, he pondered. _So little time_…

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Sorry this chapter took so long to get out! I've been having such a rough go of it that I haven't had any time to write! It's so depressing. Every time I feel like writing, I always have to do something else first and after that, it's way too late at night! Maybe I should just become nocturnal? Oh, that would be really creepy. By morning, I'd be jumping about with a pink bed sheet tied around my shoulders screaming, "I am vengeance… I am the knight… I AM BATMAN!!!" (I actually have done that before, so beware.) Anyway, for my mental health, please review! It's currently 1:16 in the morning, and that's a lot of effort for me to finish a chapter at this hour! I am sorry if this chapter was disappointing, but please understand that I really am trying! Please, please review! 

-Kaen @.@ (need sleep, want food, need sleep, want food… The cycle continues.)


	14. Snow

Nijuusei

By Kaen

Chapter 14: Snow

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I know, I'm horrible… It's been over a month . I'm so sorry… *sobs* Please accept this chapter as an apology! I was so sick yesterday, and I began pondering when was the last time that I updated my very first ffn story. Quite some time, I realized, so here it goes! Sorry!! *hides in shame*

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"It's getting so cold!" Yui commented, clinging on to Hiashi's arm the second he opened the door from the restaurant. 

Hiashi silently nodded his head in agreement, already feeling the chill seep through his jacket. His cheeks were tinted pink within the slight amount of time it took to get back to the car and he noticed that his breaths were coming in puffs of white smoke. Despite the cold, however, Hiashi still remained ever the gentleman and unlocked Yui's door first, holding it open for her as she dashed inside, more than willing to be out of the cold. Shutting the door briskly behind her to seal off the cold wind, Hiashi made his brief voyage to the other side of the car, almost slipping on one of the early-forming ice patches. Yanking open the driver's side door for himself, Hiashi all but dove into the vehicle, his teeth chattering as he realized that his windbreaker wasn't nearly enough to conquer the cold day. 

Yui and Hiashi remained silent for a minute prior to getting into the car, both trying to warm up.

Finally, he allowed himself a boyish grin and stated the obvious: "It's gotten rather cold, don't you think?"

"I think it's safe to say," Yui agreed, returning the infectious smile. 

Her hands ran up and down her covered arms, sparking a bit of warmth into them. Hiashi looked at her thoughtfully through the corner of his eyes, his mind quickly determining what would be the best course of action to keep their first date… running smoothly. He chewed his lower lip unconsciously and his eyebrows rose slightly as he came up with an idea.

"Since it's getting so chilly out, why don't we just stop at one place and then head back home? Maybe some hot chocolate would be nice then," he suggested, it being particularly obvious that he didn't like the cold of the city.

"Just one stop? Where?" she asked him, her delicate features forming a look of disappointment. 

But he just smiled reassuringly at her and reached over, grasping her gloved hand and holding to his lips.

"You'll just have to see when we get there, my lady, but I can promise that I'll be worth your time."

With this, he placed a lightly kiss on her knuckles, then released her, and slid the key into the ignition of the car.

"But where are we going?" Yui pouted, crossing her arms.

Hiashi allowed the roar of the engine to answer for him as he himself remained teasingly silent. 

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"Gah! I'm so bored!" Kokuei cried to the empty apartment, falling on his back onto the sofa.

The small circles he had been making around it had made him dizzy by the thirtieth round or so, so he waited patiently on the couch for the room to stop spinning. When it did so, however, Kokuei found himself even more bored than before since the thrill of being unstable had worn off. He pondered whether he should get up or not, laziness eventually conquering the battle, so there he remained, flopped on his back as unfocused midnight-blue eyes roamed the chalk-white ceiling for anything of interest. There was nothing interesting on the ceiling, though, not even a crack. He sighed heavily, a hand latching onto the back of the couch as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. 

In the kitchen, the steady tick of a mechanical clock could be heard. Kokuei listened to it for a while, briefly wondering why he'd never noticed it before. It was after a short while that he decided he didn't like the pressing rhythm, finding the repetitive "tick-tock, tick-tock" to be rather grating on one's nerves. Unconsciously growling at the noisy clock, Kokuei lifted himself off of his sofa-bed contraption and went back to wandering around the unbearably small apartment.

'But why wouldn't it be small?' Kokuei reminded himself. "It wasn't like Yui was expecting some guy to move in with her. I'm lucky to even have a place to live right now. I mean, I could still be… outside."

Moving over to the window, Kokuei's warm fingertips met with the chilled glass, making small white crowns for each finger on the glass. He didn't pay it any heed, though. What he was more concerned about was the fact that his Yui was still out somewhere, in that big and gray city, as the first snowflakes began to flutter to the earth. The longer he watched the sky, the more snowflakes joined their predecessors, and soon the entire sky was a flurried dance of white crystals. The glass reflected an image of a lonely young man, worry causing his forehead to crease and his eyes to widen. In their depths was an almost betrayed look that hinted more towards helplessness. The quiet of the moment lay heavily over the small apartment, so heavy that one might consider it a sin to shatter it.

Evidently, the alarm clock didn't think so as it let off a shrill and continuous buzz, causing Kokuei to jump in surprise and then grit his teeth in pain. Damn, that thing was loud! Narrowing his eyes in determination, Kokuei approached the room where the offensive item for happily annoying all who could hear it. Side-stepping an unmade bed, he reached the small table beside and looking warily at the screeching object. Along one side of it ran several buttons, and on the other, several knobs. On the top of the device where even more buttons, which Kokuei grudgingly noted, feeling his heart sinking. What if he couldn't turn the damn thing off? It would be a disaster! The end of the world or his sanity, whichever came first.

Moving to pure trial and error, Kokuei sat on the bed along side the clock and began pushing the numerous buttons, once in a while pausing to tweak a knob or shake it threateningly. Minutes of unsuccessful tests passed and he could feel his patience waning. Two buttons later, Kokuei's eyes found themselves following the black cord that ran from the back of the clock to someplace behind the table. He laid down on his stomach as he reached behind the nightstand, fingers sliding over the electrical cord and finally succeeding in gripping the plug. With a final glare directed to his inanimate enemy, Kokuei yanked the plug from the wall and all fell silent. He breathed a sigh of relief, releasing the cord the rolling onto his back as he sprawled out on the comfortable bed.

Wait a minute… bed? Bed!

He shot up, scrambling off of Yui's bed as his brain kicked into action and he realized that not only had he been in Yui's room, but also on her _bed. He hid in the corner adjacent to the tall dresser, ramming the wooden storage compartment on accident and causing something to fall from above, hitting his squarely on the top of his head. _

He yelped, hurriedly scurrying away from the scene and found himself once again cowered before the girl's bed. Blushing furiously, he peered out from behind a blanket that had been kicked off the bed and was still barely hanging on to the mattress. Silence once again enveloped the room, and on the floor there rested a large framed picture with a smaller card now sticking out of the side from underneath. Curiosity got the better of him and he crawled forward to the item that he had displaced, picking it up cautiously and turning it over, causing the card to sail to the ground. He ignored it for now, his wide eyes taking in the framed photograph before him. 

In it, there were three people: one woman, a man, and a young girl. They all wore formal attire, it being very obvious that the photo was a planned shoot. Strangely enough, in the photo they all seemed to be happy, smiling brightly at the camera while keeping a reassuring hold on another person in the picture. The woman, presumably the mother, had an arm rested around the young girl's- of about seven or so- waist, while her husband had a hand on her shoulder. The girl, Kokuei noted, was unmistakably a younger and very cute Yui, while the woman whose lap she sat in was probably her mom. Briefly, Kokuei wondered if that was Yui's father on the right of the picture, however. He really didn't look anything like his daughter; it was apparent that the girl had inherited all of her physical traits from her mother. 

Finally taking note of the card that fell, which was about the size of a baseball card, the curious young man reached over and picked it up, turning it over in his hand. On the front of it was a colorful picture of some angels and then and cross, surrounded in golden light. Kokuei's eyebrows knitted together and he turned the card over to the other, less colorful side. On it, there was only some printing with two crosses on either side of the first line. Sensing something tragic, but not being able to decipher precisely what, Kokuei numbly lifted the picture from its resting place in the basket made by his crossed legs and tucked the card into the bottom of the frame again, raising himself up to be able to place the picture back on the dresser. 

He was slightly surprised to see so many other famed pictures, plain photos, and several other trinkets laid out on the dresser top. His eyes roamed over each one, moving from one happy or silly face to the next and carefully taking in each unique little treasure that adorned the flat wooden surface. He slowly returned the framed picture that had crashed down on him minutes before carefully to its proper spot, his eyes taking in a smaller picture of Yui, with shorter hair, with another girl about her own age with brown hair and green eyes. He barely noticed that the frame if the larger picture had hooked onto something bluish-green as he set it down, causing the thing to slide across the smooth surface and fall limply onto the floor. Tearing his eyes away from the interesting picture, Kokuei sighed in exasperation as he noted that he had caused yet item to topple of the high clothes cabinet.

Steady fingers coiled around the soft thing and it bunched under the pressure of his hand. He held it at eye-level, entranced by the simple bow. Before his wide eyes, he could have sworn that he saw his arm's adornments change from his green sweater to some sort of yellow wrap, and then back to the sweater. But in that brief vision, it wasn't just his clothing that changed. He could feel the breeze of some unknown wind that swept hair into his eyes, could smell the cold, brisk air, and when he looked up, he saw a frozen wasteland.

'Where… am I? I'm cold... Why does this feel so… familiar?'

But in the uncertain blink of an eye, the vision vanished, and Kokuei's eyes snapped back into focus. He awakened to realize that he was on all fours, his hand still tightly clutching the uniform bow. Bead of perspiration were evident on his brow, even while his teeth chattered together in effort to warm his body. It was as if he couldn't decide if he was overheated or freezing. Not wanting to risk any movement, Kokuei stayed in his crouched position and he panted heavily, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

'What was that?!' he demanded to know of no one; there was no one to ask. 

'Déjà vu…' he told himself- it was that and nothing more. Just a strange dream, right? So why was he so saddened by it? And why did his body respond so violently? Unconsciously, his grip relaxed on the ribbon and it remained on the floor when he lifted his hands from it.

"I'm scared," he confessed to himself meekly, wrapping his arms around himself since he had decided that he was too cold. 

His eyes teared up behind tightly shut eyelids, but that didn't stop them from streaming down his face, leaving dirty streaks. But he forced his eyes to crack open, focusing their blurry gaze to rest on the blue-green item. He stared at it, it once again captivating him and causing him to fall silent and make even his air come and go in inaudible light breaths. 

Clearing his throat loudly, Kokuei abruptly pushed himself up off the floor, relaxing his arms around himself and fleeing the room. He gave no thought to the fact that the seemingly simple school ribbon had had such a frightening effect on him was still crumpled on the floor. Reason kicked back in and it told Kokuei that he was freezing and that his face was dirty. Stopping in the bathroom to catch a glimpse of his own reflection, he was disappointed to see that he looked even more pathetic than usual, even in his new clothing. His eyes were rimmed in bright red while gray streaks ran from each eye to his jaw. His hair was ruffled and sticking up strangely in some places, since he hadn't taken the time to comb it yet and even the way that Kokuei's clothing hung on him made him look small and fragile. 

Bleary reddened eyes traveled from the mirror to the inviting shower. Kokuei smiled in relief at the solution that presented itself and he crossed the small bathroom, fidgeting with the settings until he got the water to come out of where it was supposed to and to about right temperature. Stripping out of his new clothes, which he decided to still wear afterwards, Kokuei stepped into the shower and willed the water to carry away all the remnants of the strange dream away with the water that flowed away from his tense body. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was endless, absolutely endless. You could see everything in the city, everything beyond it, and above it, you could see each white crystal that floated softly to the earth. It was as if a blanket was being woven for the earth from heaven, one stitch at a time that were all soon joined by countless other stitches that painted the sky a shimmering white. And there was no hurry in this pattern; just an almost lethargic feel to the entire atmosphere. The snow fell so softly that it placed sparking jewels in the hair and on the clothing of all who witnessed its gentle journey.

It captivated her and left her breathless, exposing her open soul to the light snow and allowing it to become one with it. Unconsciously, a small smile graced her pretty face and there was a blissful sparkle in her cerulean-blue eyes.

"Do you like it up here?" Hiashi asked warmly, shyly taking her hand in his own.

She sighed in response, leaning in closer to Hiashi and wrapping an arm loosely around his waist. They watched the snow fall together, silently enjoying each other's company. 

"It's beautiful," she breathed, breaking the embrace to get closer to the rail. 

Although there were strong black steel bars creating a safety barrier on the top of the famous building, they were still widely enough spaced to give the spectator an awe-inspiring view. Dusting off some of the snow that had settled on the step with her foot, Yui then climbed onto it and gazed out onto the city as Hiashi watched her. He was enjoying the soft silence around him more than anything, though. They were so far above the crowded and noisy city streets and the snow muted all of the other noises. There were no other tourists on the top of the Empire State Building, so the only noises heard were the occasional soft breezes that whistled through the maze made by the tall structures.

Yui, content with her view of the city now, turned away from the edge and stepped down, causing the fresh snow to pack under her small feet as she made her way back to Hiashi.

Wrapping her arms around his mid-section again, she leaned her cheek against his shoulder and said, "It's absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for taking me here."

Hiashi had already returned her grateful hug, one hand resting on her back while the other softly dusted some of the snowflakes out of her hair. 

"You're welcome," he replied in a quiet voice, feeling somewhat awkward about having responded to something the way that he did since he was enjoying it so much as well. In honesty, this was probably the first moment of peace that he'd had since he moved to this bustling city. 

It wasn't just the moment that he was enjoying, though. The embrace that he shared with Yui gave him a warmth beyond just body heat. It seemed to radiate from his heart, or maybe his just his very being. There was something that unmistakably called out for the girl from his soul. It was a feeling unlike any other, and Hiashi had no fear of it. In fact, he welcomed it with open arms as he tightly held the girl within them.

Before he even realized what he was doing, Hiashi had pulled away slightly from Yui and the hand that had been stroking her hair slid down to lightly cup the left side of her face., causing a rosy flush to appear on her face. He gazed deeply into her eyes, which were reflecting as many emotions as his probably were; different feelings of love, hurt, and hope. And as if he could find the answers to all the questions that were rapidly forming in his mind, Hiashi leaned in close to her and placed a feather-light kiss on her pink lips. Yui welcomed the kiss, exhaling happily and bringing her arms to wrap around his neck, as his own circled her back tighter. 

All around them, the soft blanket of snow grew thicker, giving the world solitude of silence and grace, and, just for that moment, the busy world took a break and indulged in the joy of two young lovers, sharing their first token of affection. 

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*sighs* I like that ending… For this chapter, that is! You didn't really think that story was ending here, did you? Well, I have been among the living-impaired recently, haven't I? Gah, too busy, too stressed. I gotta get some bug letters yelling at me to update this story, okay? If you're less assertive about getting new chapters though, reviews would be absolutely lovely, yes… ^^& Once again, sorry that I made you wait so long for this chapter! You can yell at me if you want because I really deserve it! O.o But if you can find it in your heart t give nice reviews, I'd truly love you forever! Anyway, thank you for reading!

-Lazy, Bad Kaen

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	15. Reflections in the Living Room

Nijuusei

Chapter 15: Reflections in the Living Room

By Kaen

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Oi, I know I've been unproductive (aka utterly and unforgivably lazy)… *quickly changes subject* Anyways, before the new chapter starts, I just wanted to explain that this story (so far) has only taken place over the course of roughly a week from starting point to where we are now, which isn't a very long time, so please don't tell me about how awful I am. I know I tend to be a little long-winded, but everything that's happened so far is important and can't be cut out to narrow the timeframe! With that said, please enjoy the new chapter! … and brace yourself for a few surprises. ^.~

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"Time for hot chocolate?"

"Definitely time for hot chocolate."

"Where to then?"

"My house is a wreck, since we just moved in a few days ago…" Hiashi explained hesitantly.

Actually, that wasn't quite the truth. The truth would be something more like: "My house looks like the site of a bomb raid." Besides, it'd be pretty awkward with just the two of him while he tried to figure out how to turn on the stove. 

"Really? Where did you move from?" Yui inquired, perking up slightly. She had been huddling in her seat in the car, her knees drawn up to her chest, trying to get warmed up ever since they had come back down from the roof of the famous skyscraper. 

"California," he replied happily, a glint of longing in his midnight-blue eyes. "It was nice there, and much, much warmer."

She giggled at his comment, reaching a hand up to tuck a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. Despite the casual action, however, in her mind, doubts were rapidly forming. It was "bad form" to kiss anyone on the first date, so she spent her time pondering things that didn't have to do with it and acting like it didn't happen. It was a simple temporary solution that she took refuge behind, which she follow until she got home at least. How could she explain to Kokuei that she had kissed his twin brother, which he didn't know he had? 

"So, why'd you have to move here?" Yui started up again, forcing her mind to focus o another topic.

Hiashi sighed, casting a quick glance down at the speedometer.

Straightening his back in a small stretch, he said," My dad lost his job in California, so we had to come all the way out here for him to able to take the new one offered to him."

"Do you miss California?" Yui asked, feeling sympathy for the young man sitting beside her. 

"I miss the west coast, but if I hadn't moved, I wouldn't have been able to meet you, so I guess it's all good. I just wish it weren't so cold here!" 

He winced as he vaguely gestured to the frost that was coating the borders of the car's windows. 

"So, how about you? You're new to the city too, aren't you?"

"I've only been here about a month. I was born and raised in Japan, and I'm just staying in this city until I can move into my dorm on campus. This was the closest I could get until the new school year starts," she told him, making various facial expressions throughout her short tale. 

"Japan's a long way to come from to study. Was there a university here that you really wanted to attend?" 

"I… have me reasons to be away from home," Yui replied quietly, a pained expressing flashing across her lovely face.

Upon sensing her sudden silence, Hiashi simply nodded in acknowledgement and decided to not inquire anymore about the subject, although he did have to admit he was more than a bit curious.

"Turn right here," Yui instructed as they approached her apartment complex's residential parking lot. 

Since Yui obviously did not have a car, she always had an open spot that was empty, though reserved for her use only. Hiashi pulled into the narrow spot slowly, careful as to not come to close to the other haphazardly parked vehicles. Putting the car into "park" and turning off the ignition, he pushed open his car door and stepped out into the snow-laced wind. Always the gentleman, Hiashi wasted no time in rounding to Yui's side of the car and held open the door for her as she stepped out, a hint of pink across her features. This Hiashi noticed, but simply attributed it to the freezing conditions. 

That is, until Yui slipped a hand into his and informed him, "I'm not a princess, you know. You don't need to be so… polite."

Hiashi countered quickly: "Whoever said that you were not a princess? You're certainly beautiful and kind enough!"

He flashed a warm smile and tightened his grip on her hands reassuringly. 

"I'm no princess," Yui repeated again, but this time the comment seemed more directed to herself than Hiashi. Noticing this, Hiashi again fell silent, questioning how accurate his abilities to read the girl were. 

When they reached the entrance to the lobby of the complex, Yui quickly punched the code and the glass doors slid open for them. 

Hiashi was taken completely off-guard by the sheer size of the main floor, and was understandably startled when Yui abruptly asked, "Do you ever feel like there's something incredibly important missing from your life, but you could never figure out what it was?"

His eyebrows were first raised in surprise at the seemingly random question, but then creased as he carefully contemplated the inquiry. He responded momentarily, "I suppose many people spend their whole lives searching for themselves or true love. Well, according to songs and poetry, that is."

Yui looked into his expressive eyes. "But I want to know if you've ever felt like this. You, personally."

Hiashi lowered his eyes. He appeared to be in either great concentration or some sort of inner battle, maybe both. Several times, he appeared to be ready to say something, but each attempt only began and ended with a brief stammer of "I"s.

"You won't call me insane if I tell you, will you?" he asks sincerely, his eyes and hands focused on the task of buttoning and unbuttoning the top facet on his jacket. 

Yui shook her head no solemnly. Clenching his jaw subconsciously, Hiashi set to work unbuttoning the rest of the clasps on his jacket and removed it, tying its sleeves around his lithe waist in order to keep a hold on the garment. He waited until they had both stepped in to the elevator and the door closed behind him that he proceeded. Yui waited to press any floor numbers on the control panel as she watched him intently while he was rolling up the arm of his long-sleeved shirt. Thrusting his exposed arm in front of her where she would be sure to see whatever he was about to reveal, he began yanking and unraveling the bandages that covered his entire forearm.

Letting them fall to the floor, Hiashi traced the long scab with the index finger of his opposite hand, explaining quietly, "I don't know where this wound came from. I've never hurt myself in this area before. I was sitting at the dinner table when this wound began to gush from a force I know nothing of."

Expecting Yui to be shocked or even revolted, Hiashi diverted his eyes to look at the ceiling, the buttons on the panel, the loose bandages on the floor- anything but Yui. He gasped in surprise when she lifted the arm that had fallen limply to his side, holding it gently close to her. She, too, lightly traced the cut with a small smile on her pink lips.

"And you want to know what it is, right? You want to know what's causing this, don't you?" she stated in a knowing voice, one that hinted more of a declaration than a question.

Hiashi could only nod numbly. Why wasn't she scared? He was scared, so why wouldn't she be? He voiced none of these questions, but merely stood quiet and slack-jawed.

"But," Yui continued, seeming to be oblivious to Hiashi's reaction. "Do you think you're ready to understand? Do you really want to know?"

Her pale hand had risen during her words and had pressed the appropriate button on the elevator panel, thin fingers lingering over it for a little while even after the orange light had appeared. Hiashi did not say anything more, but simply nodded slightly. What did Yui know that he didn't? It just didn't make sense. He's just met this girl a couple days ago, and now she knows his deepest secret? And the solution to it as well? Such things seemed improbable, but no other explanation was any more logical. 

The elevator stopped at their floor with a soft, high-pitched "bing" before the doors slid open and Yui stepped out, tugging on Hiashi's hand to signify that he should hurry up. He knelt down, stuffing the bandages into his coat pocket and as Yui watched him, a few locks of wheat-blonde fell into her eyes. Even so, the bright shine in the cerulean depths were unmistakable. 

"You shouldn't be afraid, Hiashi," she comforted him. "Today will be a good day, for you both."

"'You both'?" Hiashi repeated, an expression of nearly comical confusion overtaking his features. 

Yui smiled and made a soft noise n the back of her throat that sounded almost like a chirp. She walked down the hall at a bouncy and steady pace, her positive façade hiding the fact that she was just about as nervous about the quickly approaching situation as Hiashi. 

"This is it!" she announced, swinging her mini-backpack off her shoulders and fishing for the key within it. 

Holding the key with slightly trembling fingers, she slid it into the lock and turned it firmly until the satisfactory sound of the deadbolt sliding away was heard. Pulling the key out again, Yui stole a quick glance at Hiashi, who stood stiffly next to her with a determined look on his face. 

"Relax," she advised him, standing up on her tip-toes and pressing a light kiss to the young man's cheek. 

He blushed in response, but managed a meek nod as he allowed his shoulders to slouch forward a bit, just to prove that he wasn't strapped to a board. Yui grinned at him one more time before grasping the handle of the door and turning, pushing the heavy door open. Even she was uncertain of the situation within her living quarters, though, so she stayed very quiet as she slid off her soaking boots. She motioned for Hiashi to do the same, but to wait there while she sidestepped the strewn textbooks and magazines that covered nearly the entire entryway hall. It was then that she noticed the faint noise coming from the room well-lit living room. Listening closer, she reasoned it to be the television.

And before the color screen of twelve inches sat a half-clothed Kokuei, his wide eyes fixated on the glowing screen as if it were about to reveal the meaning of life. He sat balanced on the balls of his bare feet that poked out of his long baggy jeans, swaying back a forth slightly as is fixated in some trance. He had a pink towel draped over his presumably wet hair, but it also covered a fair amount of his bare back.

"Um… Kokuei?" Yui cleared her throat in order to get his attention. He jumped at her voice and spun around the best that he could, but only succeeded in loosing his already precarious footing and falling square on his jean-clad butt.

"Oh, Yui!" he greeted her with a toothy grin, rubbing the backs of his head with the hand that was supporting him. An awkward silence passed between them as Yui observed that Kokuei still hadn't found a shirt to wear and Kokuei confirmed that the television indeed DID make noise and WAS in color.

"Kokuei," Yui finally began a little while later softly. "We have a guest this afternoon that I'd like you to meet. His name is Hiashi, the young man that I went out with earlier this morning. "

With the mention of the phrase "went out", Kokuei face contorted with barely hidden jealousy. But the name "Hiashi" was so familiar… and… Yui suddenly had the boy's full attention; he didn't even protest when she turned off the beloved television. 

Pressing on, she continued, "Please go get dressed in the bathroom, okay? I'm going to make hot chocolate, and it should be ready by the time your done dressing."

He nodded absently as he picked up the first shirt off the top of the pile, draping it over an arm as he retreated into the bathroom, pink towel still adorning his head. 

When the door had clicked shut, Yui walked a few steps to where she was visible to Hiashi and turned to him as she explained, "He – Kokuei- isn't quite decent yet. Why don't we just get started in the kitchen for now?"

Hiashi, who had formerly been scrutinizing the array of magazines and books on the floor, looked up and offered a quick nod in agreement. He pushed a few books aside with his sock-clad feet as he made his way to the small kitchen, where Yui had already began to rummage through the cabinets for the hot cocoa mix and a saucepan. She was humming lightly to herself, but once again, this was only an act to conceal her nervousness. She was beginning to have second guesses that what she was doing might not be the best thing, of that something would go horribly wrong. What if she had somehow interfered with the twins' destiny further? She flinched visibly at the thought. Everything was her fault before, and she definitely didn't want to have to take responsibility again. 

Hiashi had sensed her emotional storm rising and when she had set three mugs down on the counter, he stood to her right and slipped an arm around her slender shoulders. Entwining a few locks of soft hair between his loose fingers, he questioned what was upsetting her. She merely shrugged it off and offered a bright, but rather pained smile.

"It's nothing," she told him. "Nothing at all. I'm just a bit… nervous, I suppose. Why don't you go take a seat in the living room? It'll more comfortable than sitting around this tiny table."

She vaguely gestured to the small table that resided along the wall near the kitchen and then waved him away to the living room with the two denim-colored sofas, never hearing the click of the doorknob turning…

Hiashi attempted to exit the kitchen as per Yui's orders, but was having some difficulty. Evidently, he had not remembered the full-length mirror that was at the entrance of the tiny room. He tried to find a way around it, but to no avail. Finally, he found himself turning back to Yui in order to ask her how to get out of her kitchen, as silly as the question seemed. But his words were frozen on his tongue when he took in the girls facial expression; shock, apprehension, nervousness were all vividly expressed in her wide eyes… Why in the world were those all there? 

Hiashi turned back to the mirror to try again, noticing his wide-eyed expression reflected. He wrinkled his brow, and his reflection did the same. So what in the hell seemed so wrong here? He raised his hand to touch the glass, and his reflection did the same. But when the hand lay flat against its surface, the glass was warm and textured. Their expressions transformed into one of utter bewilderment at the unexpected sensation…

And then the raised hand of the reflection moved, the fingers knitting together and locking. 

Yui winced, already bracing herself. 

3….. 2….. 1…..

  
And a great scream, matched perfectly in pitch like none ever heard before, echoed down the halls of the large apartment complex, leaving clumps of dislodged plaster from the ceiling and walls in its wake.

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I apologize for how long this chapter took. You have my permission to abuse me, but please submit a review to do so! All in all, I'm pretty happy with the way this chapter came out. It was very natural to write, so I hope all of you readers found it enjoyable. I hope to have the next chapter out a lot sooner! I already had part of it written, so I should be a bit more productive. Thank you for reading and following this fic for so long!

Oh, and a special note to Beach Fradis: Congratulations! Your good news may be the only reason that this story is still going, so I dedicate this chapter to you! Thank you so much for everything! 


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